Important Information About Telemarketing and Internet Scams

From time to time, we receive reports of phone scams in which callers posing as employees of the College Board contact students and families attempting to sell test preparation products or requesting sensitive personally identifying information, such as credit card and social security numbers. These calls do not come from the College Board. This type of activity, known as telemarketing fraud, is a crime. Should you receive an unsolicited phone call from someone claiming to work for the College Board, even one that your caller ID identifies as originating from a College Board location (some of these callers engage in illegal "spoofing" to make it seem as if the call is coming from the actual company), do not provide the caller with any personal information. The College Board does not make unsolicited phone calls to students or families requesting this type of information. Representatives of the College Board only make calls to students and their families in response to student-generated inquiries and/or to provide students and families with information about a test or program for which the student registered. Should you have a question about the origin of a phone call you have received in which the caller claims to be from the College Board, contact us at 866-756-7346.

Safety and Security Tips

1. Be wary of unsolicited contacts, whether via telephone or email.
2. Remember that the College Board will never contact you to ask you to send your credit card, bank account or password information over the telephone or through email.
3. Never supply credit card information to someone who calls or emails you.
4. If you suspect you have received a fraudulent call or email, contact the Federal Trade Commission and your local authorities and provide them with all the details.
5. Keep in mind that if an offer appears too good to be true, it probably is.

To make a complaint, and to obtain more information about protecting yourself from telephone and Internet scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission's Consumer Information site.

Online Privacy

For more information about protecting your privacy online, we recommend that you visit these sites:

• Network Advertising Initiative
• NetCoalition.com
• Online Privacy Alliance

Online Security

For more information on guarding against Internet fraud and keeping your computer secure, visit OnGuardOnline.gov. The site features practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry. Specific topics include:

• Avoiding Scams
• Phishing
• Email Scams
• Computer Security
• Identity Theft
• Online Dating Scams
• Spyware

Read the College Board's Site Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.