'U' students face scams

Students find fraud in variety of services in campus life

By Marta Brill

Daily Staff Reporter

For many University students, college is the first time they come into contact with the responsibilities of living independently. Suddenly, students may find themselves signing apartment leases, consulting with telephone companies and paying credit card bills.

Sometimes, they also gain their first exposure to the world of fraud and fine print.

Before LSA junior Diana Ratcliff transferred to the University, she was a student at American University in Washington, D.C. She lived in a house with three other students in Arlington, Va.

When the owner of the house returned from an overseas military assignment, the landlord unexpectedly attempted to cut Ratcliff's lease short, she said. She said the landlord claimed he was terminating the remainder of the lease because Ratcliff and her housemates had not upheld their part of the lease.

"We ended up losing $1,300 on our deposit," Ratcliff said.

Ratcliff also said her former landlord often overcharged her for services he provided himself, such as lawn care and furnace maintenance. He claimed that he was charging the average price for the repairs, but Ratcliff said she double checked his figures by calling professionals in the various fields.

Ratcliff said she was being grossly overcharged when compared to what most professionals charge for the same service.

"One of (the housemates) took the landlord to court, and that's still in process," Ratcliff said.

Department of Public Safety spokesperson Beth Hall said two of the most common scams University students deal with are fake or stolen football tickets and parking permits.

"There are individuals who are counterfeiting parking (permits) and attempting to sell them," Hall said, adding that DPS officials have had a "significant problem" with counterfeit football tickets.

Hall suggested students only buy football tickets from the Michigan Ticket Office to ensure they don't fall victim to a scam.

"The main message is buyer beware. If you buy tickets on the street you're taking a risk of them being counterfeit or stolen," Hall said.

Many students shared similar opinions to Hall, saying they most likely would not buy any type of ticket or pass from someone on the street because of the risk involved.

"If you're going to buy them off the street you're most likely going to get scammed because people want to make money," said an LSA junior who asked not to be identified.

Other students said that although they do not necessarily feel cheated, telephone companies and credit card companies sometimes use misleading language.

Lee, an Engineering senior who did not want to reveal her first name, complained of the hidden connection fees phone companies charge. She said that she thought the fees are usually poorly explained in the "small print in the letter" from the telephone company.

Hall said that during the past few years, DPS has investigated several alleged scams on campus. One scam involved an attempt to bill the University for long distance calls, she said.

The callers involved in the scam would dial the University and ask to be transferred to an outside line. After the transfer, the caller would make long distance calls on the University's line, Hall said.

Another scam involved a letter that was circulating around several of the University's academic departments. Hall said the letter, originating in Nigeria, used fake credentials in an attempt to access account numbers for the University departments. Hall said DPS turned the case over to federal investigators.

02-15-99