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Education

College Credit Card Offer Is Identity Theft Scam

Don't Give Personal Information Over Phone

POSTED: 4:52 pm EST March 29, 2005
UPDATED: 12:38 pm EST March 30, 2005

A special credit card offer for college students is actually the latest identity theft scam, KPRC-TV in Houston reported.

Montgomery College student Dennis Mulvey was suspicious from the beginning.

"I went, 'Uh oh,' when they said they were giving away free Montgomery College credit cards. I knew the college did no such thing," he said.

He was one of at least three students at Montgomery College who were targeted for identity theft, according to the station.

Mulvey received a call at home nearly three weeks ago.

The woman on the line offered him a $200 gift certificate along with the college credit card.

Mulvey knew the college did not offer credit cards, so he played along.

"Then she said, 'Can I have your mother's maiden name?' Then I gave her a false one. I gave her my cat's name," he said.

The caller was persistent, asking for bank account and Social Security numbers.

"I said, 'Not a chance.' And she hung up," Mulvey said.

He reported it to the school right away.

The next day, the college president sent out an e-mail to warn students, faculty and staff about the credit card scam.

When the local newspaper ran an article about it, two more students came forward to say they also received the calls. One of the students said she had volunteered her personal information.

No one has reported losing any money and the school is doing all it can to keep it that way.

"We're looking at different things -- nothing concrete, looking at other ways to communicate with students, make sure other students are aware," said Steve Scheffler, a spokesman for Montgomery College.

For more on identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.



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