Spring break scam: Impersonators pose as students in trouble

Parents and grandparents are being targeted by scam artists who call asking for money. The scammers pull information about the students off their online social networking sites, such as Facebook, to accumulate accurate and detailed information about the students’ spring break travels. They then call the parents or grandparents and ask for money to cover bail or other emergencies using the information they acquired to amplify the believability of their claims. 

These calls are expected to multiply as we enter the spring break season, reports Eric Schudiske of King 5 News. To avoid being a victim of these scammers, schedule regular contact with your student before he or she leaves town for spring break. That way, if you do get a call about a car accident or needed bail, you can verify the claim before handing over the cash. This scam is very similar to the grandparent scam we’ve warned you about – except with the spring break twist.

-- Blog post by AGO Intern Christina Smailes