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In the coming weeks, many students will be heading to college, vocational, or graduate school programs. New York State is home to nearly 300 higher education institutions– the second highest in the nation . Incoming students have many decisions to make at the start of the academic year and while making choices independently is exciting, dealing with new situations can be challenging. Whether living away from home for the first time, navigating financial aid, or building credit, students have ample opportunities to get scammed. The NYS Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) provides guidance on how to start this new academic year safely with targeted scam prevention and safety tips that can help during this transition.

“The best way for college students to avoid textbook, scholarship or rental scams is to be informed. This is an exciting time as students, often on their own for the first time, learn how to balance their freedom and responsibilities. This new independence makes them targets for scammers,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez, who oversees the Department of State and its Division of Consumer Protection. “The goal of the Division of Consumer Protection is to educate students and arm them with knowledge to protect themselves against identity theft, scams and other safety prevention tips.”   

SCAM PREVENTION TIPS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENTS:

Protect Yourself from Common Scams Targeting Students:

Protect Yourself from Identity theft:

For those living on campus this fall, there are safety precautions to keep in mind, especially for first-time residential students. Fires are one of the biggest hazards; the National Fire Protection Association reports that fire departments responded to over 3,000 fires at dormitories, sororities, fraternities, and other related structures from 2015-2019. Be sure to check your dormitory for fire hazards and more, and have the following information handy:

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides voluntary mediation between a consumer and a business when a consumer has been unsuccessful at reaching a resolution on their own. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection .  For more consumer protection tips, follow the Division on social media at Twitter: @NYSConsumer and Facebook: www.facebook.com/nysconsumer .

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