SUBJECT:

Online Tuition Payment Scam

Over the past year, there has been an increase in online scams which
target college students by promising reduction in tuition if a 3rd-party
service is used to pay their fees. Students attending institutions
across the United States, including UC San Diego, University of
Tennessee, University of Washington, and others have been impacted by
these online tuition scams. In the case of UC San Diego, international
students have been targeted more frequently, and scammers have
especially targeted students using the popular app, WeChat. Scammers
often promise an approximate 5% discount in tuition, and victims are
asked to provide their university credentials and their credit card
information.

The best way to protect yourself from these scams is to never share your
online credentials with anyone. You should also only use payment methods
approved by UC San Diego, and advise parents and authorized payers not
to respond to 3rd-party solicitations.

Lastly, contact Student Financial Solutions at studentbusiness@ucsd.edu
immediately if you have questions about a potential tuition discount or
an alternative form of payment that’s not included on the list of ways
to pay your bill located here:
https://students.ucsd.edu/finances/billing-payment/paying/index.html

Please visit https://students.ucsd.edu/sponsor/sfs/tuition-scam.html to
read more about online tuitions scams and how to protect yourself.

Pierre Ouillet Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Offier