OMG I Just Got A Scary E-Mail From University

[Placebo]

2005-05-14
From: _______ University
To: ___ _________
ID#: _______
Balance: $728.25

Dear Mr. _________:
Our records indicate that your tuition remains unpaid. Please be advised that you are no longer in compliance with ______ University's payment policy and that you are prohibited from future registration. We are also requesting the total amount due on this account immediately. Failure to address this matter can result in:

YOUR ACCOUNT BEING PLACED WITH A PRE-COLLECTION AGENCY

Please contact me if you should have any questions in regard to this matter. If payment has been made, please disregard this letter.

Sincerely,

____ _______ ,Tuition Counselor
Student Financial Accounts
Phone No. ___/___-____
d_______@______.edu

Copy B: file

FOR PAYMENT INSTRUCTION, PLEASE CONTACT THE TUITION COUNSELOR
LISTED ABOVE.

:o I didn't even know I owed money. :scared:

[Rick Myers]

1. What is a pre-collection agency?

That's kinda strange wording, don't you think?

[Placebo]

2. Yes it makes no sense.

Either way, I guess I'll need 700 bucks Monday.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. I want to be a pre-collection agency!!

You get paid, apparently, for not collecting, just sitting on your ass.

"Give me $500 and I will sit on this bill, until you are ready to go to a real collection agency. In fact, I'm such a nice guy, I'll spring for the stamp and the envelope to send it on. Just let me know when!"

[TheProphetess]

3. It could be an error

Try not to worry about it until you can call and double-check on Monday. Good luck!

[nytemare]

5. Careful it is not an e mail scam

Be sure you are calling the college, and not someone posing as them asking for a credit number.

[Lex]

6. YES! I second this.

It might be 'phishing' or whatever--those people are good. They send out incredibly realistic stuff.

[nytemare]

8. Yes, I got about 3 of them from "AOL" last week

Saying my credit card was denied for the montly charges. Then the site asked for credit card info, and aol password, and it gave a phony phone number to call. I forwarded them to TOS.

[SheilaT]

7. Do you actually owe the university

tuition money?

Do you currently attend the university?

Could it be a simple scam?

If you do owe them money, call Monday first thing to arrange payment.

[jmowreader]

9. This looks like phishing to me

What the hell kind of legitimate university would send dunning notices as e-mail? Your server could be down, you could have that domain filtered into your trash box, you could be out of town, you could have quit paying your ISP bill and been cut off...lots of things.

Also, not everyone has an e-mail account.

OTOH, everyone receives snail mail, which is why all of the bills I get come that way.

Look, do this: Do a Google search to find this university's website, find out what the billing office's phone number is, and call them. Don't dial the number that's on the e-mail unless it's also on the university's website; for all we know, that's some guy's cell phone. If you really owe them money, they'll let you know. If you DON'T owe them money they'll be very happy to know someone's trying to pull a scam using their name.