- The College Board will never ask you to give credit card, bank account or password information over the phone or via email.
- Make sure the company offering test prep materials is legitimate. How? Before you give up your money or personal information, research the company online. Search for their name plus the word “scam” or “complaint.” See about other people’s experiences. And talk to someone you trust, like another parent or your child’s school counselor, before you pay.
- Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in – meaning that, if you find out you paid a scammer, you may be able to get your money back if you report it quickly. And if anyone asks you to pay by wiring money or by using a reloadable card or gift card, it’s a scam.
The Personal Finance Syndication Network features personal finance columns from Credit.com, GoBankingRates and GetOutOfDebt.org.