SAT, ACT scams target Ohio families

For parents of high school students, SAT and ACT scores are a huge deal. With college admissions and scholarships on the line, paying for tutors and test prep materials may be worth the price. Watch out for con artists eager to take advantage of that. Scammers with access to kids’ names and school information are tricking parents into paying for bogus SAT and ACT prep materials.

How the scam works

You get an unsolicited call from a person claiming to be from the College Board, the company responsible for the PSAT, SAT and AP tests or another educational organization. The caller claims to be confirming your address so they can send test prep materials such as books, CDs or videos your child requested at school.

The caller needs you to pay a deposit, sometimes several hundred dollars, for the materials. They claim it will be refunded when the materials are returned after a set number of days. Unfortunately, if you provide your address and credit card details, the materials will never arrive, and your deposit will never be refunded. Scammers now have your credit card number and other personal information.

One West Virginia consumer reported to the BBB Scam Tracker, “I received an unsolicited call (from) someone identifying themselves as Chad and saying they are working for the College Board. My son is applying to college and we have a lot of this stuff going on, so I let my guard down. He said that my son had requested SAT prep materials and that those materials would be sent to my home and I had to pay a deposit of $249.95 that would be refunded once the test materials were returned. He knew my son's name and our address and that he was applying to college.”

The consumer did not get the deposit back and did not receive any prep materials.

How to avoid test prep scams

—Always be wary of unsolicited callers. If someone calls out of the blue asking for payment, always research their organization before you share personal information or agree to receive services or products. Look up the business they claim to represent at www.BBB.org.

—Double check with your child. If scammers say they are calling because of a service your child requested, tell them you need to check with your child first and hang up. Make sure their claims are legitimate before you call back or accept a return call.

—Understand the College Board’s practices. The College Board will never ask you for bank or credit card information over the phone or via email. If a caller suggests otherwise, hang up. Learn more about the College Board’s policies.

—Don't give your financial information to strangers. Never agree to pay a stranger for a purchase you did not initiate, with any form of payment. Do not provide details about any of your personal accounts. While some forms of payment such as credit cards may offer more protections and a chance for a refund, it is still dangerous to share your private financial information with an unfamiliar person.