71°
The impostors “spoof” IDs so they can trick or bully their victims into revealing personal information which they then use to fleece them, the BBB and the FBI said.
The fraudsters claim that the student is behind on payments for a school loan or owes income taxes or money for unpaid parking tickets and then tries to frighten him or her into sending money by an untraceable method -- such as a wire transfer or pre-loaded debit gift card.
The victims are told that they may be arrested or may not be eligible to graduate unless they pay up.
College students – many of whom are managing their own finances for the first time – are easy targets.
Criminals may call, send a letter, or email promising to forgive student debt if they pay a fee in advance, the BBB said.
That upfront fee is what the criminal is primarily looking for, but they also may ask for personal information to “help" process the request. The ID thief can then open lines of credit in the victim’s name or commit insurance fraud.
The bureau offered some tips:
- Don’t believe what you hear: Government agencies will never make an uninitiated contact with you -- not the FBI, the IRS, financial institutions, insurance companies, utilities, or the judicial system -- or ask for payment or personal information over the telephone.
- Don’t trust caller ID: To verify any information you’ve been given, look up the website or telephone number yourself rather than clicking on a link or calling the customer service number provided. Their number may lead you right back to scammers.
- Read and then shred documents: Reconcile credit card, banking and utility bills to make certain there are no unauthorized charges, and then destroy them.
- Secure important paperwork: Arrange for sensitive documents to be sent to a permanent address such as your parents’ home.
- Practice safe computing: When you are using a public computer, avoid conducting business or banking transactions – especially if you are using free public Wi-Fi that doesn’t require a password. Update software, malware protection and operating system patches to protect your computer from known malware.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Armonk and receive free news updates.
