5 SCAMS TARGETING COLLEGE STUDENTS

1 September 2009 12:00 p.m. Eastern
Source: Scambusters.org, Edited by Nicole Thompson

College students have a great risk of becoming a victim of identity theft through five common scams.

Student Identity Theft.

This frequently occurs on social networking sites like Facebook. Scammers set up phony pages that look like official college pages where they collect names to be used for identity theft or to be sold for marketing lead lists. Check out the College Student's Guide to Identity Theft by Scambusters.org.

Scholarship Scams.

Thousands of scholarships exist for college students. Watch out for phony scholarships that don't really exist-the applications are used to harvest personal details for identity theft or marketing purposes. Also avoid paying fees for scholarship searches. Although it is not illegal for a company to charge a fee for scholarship searches, it isn't necessary because scholarship information is available for free online at sites like FastWeb.com and FindTuition.com.

Student Insurance Scams.

When college students are away from home they and their belongings may not be protected on the insurance policies that cover their parents' primary residence Instead of buying costly or bogus insurance on campus, students should first speak with their parents' agency about the policy and available options.

Student Accommodation Scams.

For students who choose not to stay in college or university residences, a place to live at the right price can be a real headache. Watch out for unsuitable or overpriced accommodations, and non-existent rentals. Non-existent rental scams occur when a crook offers you a house or apartment he/she doesn't own, takes your money upfront, then disappears. Students should check with their college or university about lists of recommended or approved accommodations.

Phony Student Employment.

Students are often looking for a ways to make easy money. Beware of jobs that involve door-to-door selling because they may be covers for scams in which the product being sold doesn't exist or student workers don't get paid. Also be cautious of work-at-home jobs. A common trick is to charge fees for things like training, accreditation, kits or other materials supposedly needed to perform the job.