Credit and Debit Card Fraud Alert
We value and respect your financial information. As a precautionary measure, we are writing to let you know about a situation that potentially could affect you. The questions and answers below contain more information.
(Last updated July 6, 2012)
What happened?
Between June 27 and June 28, approximately 20 Olympic College students and employees notified college personnel that their credit card or debit card numbers were used fraudulently. In each reported case, the individuals used their card at Olympic College prior to getting a fraudulent charge.
What is the cause of the incidents?
At this point, there is no clear evidence what the cause may be. Out of caution, we are urging anyone that used their credit card or debit card at Olympic College in the last several weeks to review their accounts and report suspicious activity to their financial institution.
What should I do If I made a purchase at Olympic College and I now have a fraudulent charge on my card?
- Contact your financial institution right away to notify them about the suspicious activity.
- File a police report with your local police department.
- Contact the college's campus security office at 360-475-7800 to report the incident.
- Place a fraud alert on your credit report.
What if I have checked my credit card statement and there is no fraudulent activity?
Please remain vigilant and continue to monitor your credit card accounts for suspicious activity. If you have suspicious activity on your credit card, please contact our college's campus security at 360-475-7800 and follow additional instructions above.
What actions has the college taken?
We are working with an outside forensic expert to thoroughly investigate all college credit card systems as well as working with law enforcement. We have also contacted the media to help spread awareness of the incidents so individuals can review their account statements for possible fraudulent activity.
Additionally, we have taken precautionary steps and removed credit card transaction systems from the main merchant network. We are using a single dial-up connection for credit card transactions and manual credit card machines. You may also use cash or checks to make purchases as well.
How many have been impacted by the incidents?
It is uncertain because the cause of the incidents is still unknown. We are urging anyone that used their card at Olympic College in recent weeks and have fraudulent charges to contact our college's campus security office at 360-475-7800 to make a report for tracking purposes.
Will more information be available?
We will continue making updates on the situation on this website to keep you informed.
