In a recent consumer alert, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a warning to students and their families about the rise of fraudulent college and university websites that impersonate legitimate institutions for financial exploitation and data theft, as reported by Michigan's official website. One such website, smich.education, fraudulently presented itself as Southeastern Michigan University, lifting the reliable reputation of Eastern Michigan University to deceive prospective students, particularly those looking online for educational opportunities.
This deceptive maneuver prompted a complaint to the Department of Attorney General from Eastern Michigan University. With the investigation ongoing, Attorney General Nessel advises potential enrollees to be diligent, stating, "Fraudsters know that students and families are making big decisions about education, and they’re exploiting that moment to steal their hard-earned money," and emphasizes the importance of doing due diligence before divulging any personal or financial information, according to Michigan's official website.
Eastern Michigan University also spoke out on the issue, via Vice President for Communications Walter Kraft who appreciated the swift action of the Attorney General's Office, acknowledging that "Protecting students from deceptive and fraudulent schemes is a shared responsibility." Kraft conveyed the university's stance to the press while praising Nessel's endeavor to preserve the integrity of Michigan's educational system in this increasingly digital age, as per a report by the state's official website.
The Attorney General's office highlighted key characteristics of fake academic institutions: suspect contact details, non-.edu domains, improbable promises, unconventional payment requests like gift cards or cryptocurrencies, grammatical and spelling errors throughout the websites, and aggressive marketing strategies that real colleges tend not to employ, while encouraging those entangled by such scams to independently verify contact information, seek out genuine reviews, and check accreditation status through the Department of Education.
Victims of these fraudulent educational websites, or anyone seeking further assistance, can reach out to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Team by mail, phone, or via an online complaint form following the details provided on the state's official alert.
