Beware of Bogus SAT/ACT Prep Materials Scams, the BBB Warns

College admissions and scholarship opportunities on the line? For parents of high school students, few things are more important than SAT and ACT exams, and scammers are all-too-willing to exploit this urgency, pretending to be from trusted organizations to steal money and personal information.

According to recent consumer alerts from the BBB, scammers claiming to be from the College Board or other educational organizations are honing in on the parents of high school students, promising them a chance to secure bogus test prep resources.

What makes the ploy credible? The scammers have got their hands on students’ personal information.

How the Scam Works

Parents receive an unexpected call from an individual claiming to represent the College Board or official test prep providers. To make their story sound legitimate, the caller references personal details about the student, including their name, school, or upcoming test date.

They offer to send “free” study tools (books, USB drives, online tutors) in exchange for a temporary "deposit" or "collateral fee" to secure test prep resources, which never arrive. They ask for your credit card details, and promise a refund if you return the materials on time. Unfortunately, the materials never arrive

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Real life story

A parent reported that a scammer knew her daughter’s name, school details, and a (wrong) SAT exam date. The caller requested a $250 hold on the parent’s credit card.

"A woman called, saying that she was from the SAT/ACT College Board. She asked to speak to the parent/guardian of my daughter, and used her name. She said my daughter had checked the box at her registration, to receive study materials to be sent to her. The materials included access to an online tutor, papers, and two usb drives. The drives would need to be returned within 30 days or we would be charged for them.”

Another report showed the same pattern: the scammer quoted precise information about an upcoming exam, claimed to send materials, and instantly charged $249.95.

“Caller, Carson, stated my son had requested SAT prep materials through College Board student services. He had my address, my son’s name, date and location of the SAT test my son is scheduled to take. Caller stated they needed parental permission prior to sending documents and that I needed to give him a credit card number for collateral,“ another parent said.

“We would be sent the college SAT prep materials; the materials would be free of charge for 30 days and we would need to return the materials in the envelope provided and my card wouldn’t be charged. The caller stated they send email reminders prior to the return deadline and will send shipping confirmation once the material package is mailed out. My card was charged $249.95 instantly.”

A third consumer also reported losing $250 to this scam.

How to Stay Safe

1. Scrutinize all unsolicited phone calls: If you get a call out of the blue asking for money or financial details, don’t respond on the spot. Hang up and do your research.
2. Verify claims with your child: Double-check whether your child actually requested any test prep materials. If the caller’s claims don’t match your child’s account, it’s a red flag.
3. Be cautious of requests for personal and financial data: The College Board never asks for bank or credit card information over the phone or email. If in doubt, contact the College Board directly.
4. Research the company: If someone claims to be from a legitimate organization, verify them. Look up their BBB profile, check for complaints, and read customer reviews.

If you are targeted by this scam, don’t engage with callers. Anyone who says you need a credit card deposit for free prep materials are a scammer. Visit BBB Scam Tracker to file a report to keep other informed and also contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

 If you shared any payment information, alert your bank immediately and keep an eye out for any unauthorized charges.

Pro tip: Check test prep materials offerings and messages with Bitdefender Scamio, our AI-powered scam detection service. Send any texts, messages, links, QR codes, or images and it will analyze them to determine if they are part of a scam. Scamio is free and available on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and your web browser. 

Bitdefender Link Checker is also a free tool for checking for fraudulent and malicious links on the go, wherever you are.