Summer is officially over. Kids have gone back to school. Unfortunately this means new scams, revival of old ones and heightened risk of identity theft.
Unpaid Tuition - Caller claims to be from the financial department of your kids college and states the loans or scholarship are not sufficient to cover this years fees and balance needs to be paid immediately or you kid is expelled. What's worse you can't call the school as they wont talk to you. What to do? Don't panic. Ligitimate schools will give you enough time to resolve. A quick text to your kids and they can call financial aid for verification. Never make an immediate payment.
Kidnap Call - Caller claims to have kidnapped you child and is demanding immediate payment to let them go. As upsetting as it sounds this is Often a scam. Set up a 9-11 text to your kids that lets them know you need to speak with them ASAP. Their phones are on 24/7.
Identity Theft - both you and your kids have been filling out multiple forms. Also there will be a push by local vendors to set up lines of credit for your kids. Unfortunately this means that a lot of information is freely flowing. Make sure you set up banking alerts every time there is any banking activity. Contact any of the credit reporting agencies and purchase their credit protection services. The alerts can thwart ID thieves before they can ruin your credit.
Simple advise. Never react. Take a deep breath and think. Never give information to someone who calls you. Always get call back numbers and verify the contact is who they say they are.