2008 Woodie Awards
Students susceptible to phone fraud
By Kim Dishler
Rocket Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 4/15/05 Section: News
Telemarketers probably make the list for many people's biggest pet peeves. They seem to call at the most inopportune times, like when you sit down for dinner or during a scene from your favorite movie.
Unfortunately, Slippery Rock students are not immune from these calls, especially if you live on campus. Students' names, addresses, telephone numbers and other information designated "directory information" may be disclosed without a student's previous consent.
Most people would probably just consider telemarketers annoying or an inconvenience. But with the influx of identity theft, telemarketing scams are an increasingly common way to con people out of money.
Information in the student/faculty telephone directory would be an easy way for telemarketers to gain access to contact information. Students who live on campus will have their residence hall phone numbers and addresses published, in addition to their home contact information. Students who live off campus have to submit their new contact information for it to be published in the telephone directory, otherwise only their home information is published. This may mean parents get the telemarketing calls, but the students don't.
However, telemarketers can't simply come to Slippery Rock's campus, pick up a telephone directory and start calling students. A disclaimer in the front of the directory states, "This directory is protected by copyright. Any use of the information contained in this directory for mass mailings or other solicitations of any kind is a violation of Slippery Rock University and SGA policy. Violators will be prosecuted."
The student contact information must be obtained in some other manner. Individuals across the country, not just students, somehow find themselves on lists, which are then sold to telemarketers. Signing up for a service is usually the easiest way to get on a list. Eliott Baker, executive director of academic records and summer school, said the university does not sell or disclose student contact information en masse.
Unfortunately, Slippery Rock students are not immune from these calls, especially if you live on campus. Students' names, addresses, telephone numbers and other information designated "directory information" may be disclosed without a student's previous consent.
Most people would probably just consider telemarketers annoying or an inconvenience. But with the influx of identity theft, telemarketing scams are an increasingly common way to con people out of money.
Information in the student/faculty telephone directory would be an easy way for telemarketers to gain access to contact information. Students who live on campus will have their residence hall phone numbers and addresses published, in addition to their home contact information. Students who live off campus have to submit their new contact information for it to be published in the telephone directory, otherwise only their home information is published. This may mean parents get the telemarketing calls, but the students don't.
However, telemarketers can't simply come to Slippery Rock's campus, pick up a telephone directory and start calling students. A disclaimer in the front of the directory states, "This directory is protected by copyright. Any use of the information contained in this directory for mass mailings or other solicitations of any kind is a violation of Slippery Rock University and SGA policy. Violators will be prosecuted."
The student contact information must be obtained in some other manner. Individuals across the country, not just students, somehow find themselves on lists, which are then sold to telemarketers. Signing up for a service is usually the easiest way to get on a list. Eliott Baker, executive director of academic records and summer school, said the university does not sell or disclose student contact information en masse.
