Telemarketing Scam
DATE: December 1, 2004

PLEASE BE ADVISED: The University Police Department has received two (2) complaints in the past month regarding a telemarketing grant/scholarship scam. The scam involves a telemarketer calling a person and informing them that they are eligible for an $8,000 grant or scholarship. They then ask for personal banking information, and permission to deduct a processing fee from that bank account in order to send the information. The deduction is anywhere from $200 to $300. After this amount is deducted from the bank account, the company does not send any money; rather they send a guidebook listing different grants or scholarships available to the public. This same guidebook is available for free from legitimate sources. There are several companies involved in using this trick tactic, so the specifics may vary with each scam. If any office, faculty, staff or student receives this type or any type of solicitation over the phone, please DO NOT give any personal or financial information to the caller without verifying its legitimacy.