On behalf of NYSED’s Chief Privacy and Chief Information Security Officers
It has been brought to NYSED’s attention that parents and/or guardians of children who have recently taken an SAT or PSAT exam have been receiving scam calls requesting that the parent/guardian provide personal information, including a credit card number, to mail the test results.
Please be advised that any legitimate SAT test or prep. organization would not request payment or personal financial details over the phone for test results.
We therefore ask you to share the following notice with parents and guardians to prevent them from falling victim to these scams:
Dear parent or guardian please let this serve as a reminder that you should not share personal or financial information over the phone with unsolicited callers. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately. We are sending this reminder because parents and/or guardians of children who have recently taken an SAT or PSAT exam have been receiving scam calls requesting personal information, including a credit card number, to mail the test results.
Additional tips about how to protect yourself from SAT test-related scams can be found on the
Better Business Bureau website and below:
- Always be wary of unsolicited callers: If you receive a random call from someone asking for payment, research their organization before sharing any personal information.
- Double check with your child: If someone claims they're calling because of a service your child requested, hang up and check with your child first.
- Understand the College Board's practices: The College Board will never ask you for your bank or credit card information over the phone or through email.
- Don't give your financial information to strangers: Never agree to pay a stranger with any form of payment for a purchase you didn't initiate.
Thank you,
Privacy Office and Information Security Office
NYS Education Department