WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – The New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is warning you of SAT prep scams.
According to the Division of Consumer Protection, there is a new scam where parents are receiving calls claiming to be from the College Board or other educational institutions about prep materials their child allegedly requested at school.
They say the caller often has the student’s name and school they attend and the caller asks for an address and credit card number for a deposit for said SAT prep materials. They claim the deposit will be refunded once the prep materials are returned.
According to the Better Business Bureau’s scam tracker, parents who gave their information never received these test materials or got their deposit back, adding that the scammer now has their credit card information, too.
“Prepping for and taking the SATs can be stressful enough without having to worry about scammers taking advantage of you with new, convincing tactics that seem legitimate,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley.
Here’s how to avoid SAT prep scams:
Understand The College Board’s Practices:
- The College Board is the organization responsible for the SAT exams. They offer free materials to prepare for the SATs on their website. You can find the information here: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/practice
- The College Board will call to follow up on student inquiries but does not make unsolicited calls or ask for your credit card/bank information or passwords over the phone.
Check with your child:
- If the caller says they are calling about a request from your child, let the caller know you need to confirm with your child before you talk to them.
- If you need to call the College Board back so you can confirm with your child, contact them directly at 866-680-9990. Do not trust unknown phone numbers provided by an unsolicited caller.
Confirm the legitimacy of the organization and always be wary of unsolicited calls:
- If the caller claims to be with another educational organization besides the College Board, research the organization before deciding to work with them.
- Search for the organization’s name and reported scams or complaints.
- Ask other parents if they have worked with the organization.