>>'Zombie Universities' Could be Cases of Identity Theft Stealing Potential Student's Money
(Undated) -- One former Virginia university is considered a "zombie college" after it closed two years ago, but currently lives another 'life' online. Rebecca Hughes has more.Preview: Voicer Script:
Strattford University closed in 2022 but a new site using the same photos and other visual elements has gone online, encouraging potential applicants to “Be the Boss.” Neither Strattford or the other 8 closed universities are accredited or cleared to receive federal financial aid but the sites allow victims to submit personal data and send money. Kari Kammel, who heads the Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection at Michigan State University, tells USA Today she is puzzled by the counterfeit sites, suspecting they could be an obvious case of identity theft. The FTC declined to clarify if these sites fall under their jurisdiction and US Department of Education officials say they do not oversee unrecognized accrediting schools ineligible for federal aid.