Campus officials are warning students to watch out for scam artists on campus. These scammers are asking students to sign up for a free newspaper subscription to help them pay for school.
In recent weeks, unapproved visitors have been reported on campus at Ventura and Moorpark, advertising “free” newspaper subscriptions, including the Los Angeles Times, under the pretences of a scholarship.
“These are not sanctioned programs through the L.A. Times,” said Ron Hasse, director of circulation, sales and marketing for the Times. “They’re scamming. They’re posing as something that is not real.”
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The recent batch of potential scams has campus officials concerned. Over the past few semesters, there have been several reports of these salespeople on campus, and according to campus police several have been escorted off campus.
In most instances, the college-aged person walks among students during high-traffic times around campus and asks students if they can help with a scholarship, by signing up for a free subscription to a newspaper.
When approached, the salespeople became aggressive and refused to comment.
The college business and management department on campus authorizes and controls vendors and visitors on campus, and has given warnings about wandering sales people.
“It’s a scam,” said Leanne Colvin, administrative assistant for the college Business and Management Office. “We’ve tried to warn students about them.”
Colvin said that if vendors or visitors are approved to be on campus, they will be dressed professionally and sitting at a table. Vendors are not allowed to walk among students.
Students who have fallen prey to the pitch end up getting a subscription to a newspaper, in most cases the L.A. Times, and then later, they get a bill for their attempt to help the “scholarship program.”
“I signed up for that,” said Moorpark Associated Student President Andrew Anzalone. “I thought I’d help the guy out and then they sent me a bill.”
Campus officials urge students to report suspicious activity, such as unauthorized vendors, to their campus police departments.
Moorpark College Police Lt. Steven Kegley said that he has dealt with the unapproved sales people for several semesters.
“They need the stamp of approval,” said Kegley. “They can’t sell anything, and they can’t give anything away.”
Officials suggest that students should never hand out their personal information to anyone just walking around campus. Approved vendors will always be at a table, with their name or company prominently displayed.
“You don’t really know who you’re dealing with,” said Kegley. “You don’t know who these guys are.”
