$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
fake tutoring service scam
Fraudulent tutoring services collect upfront payments from students and parents for sessions that are never delivered, or use the engagement to harvest personal and financial information.
“back to school scam”
↑ 202%Key indicators
Usually targetsCollege students
Often hitsTech workers and developers
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$640
median reported loss
Typical range$40 – $4.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers create professional-looking tutoring websites or profiles on freelance platforms, advertising expertise in high-demand subjects and standardized test prep.
2
Students or parents pay for multi-session packages upfront, often 200-500 dollars, and the tutor provides one or two subpar sessions before becoming unreachable.
3
Some operations also collect student academic records and personal information that can be used for identity theft or resold.
What to do first
Use your school's official tutoring center or vetted platforms like Wyzant or Tutor.com that offer payment protection.
Related terms
fake online tutor scamtutoring advance fee fraudBack-to-school scamsWebsiteRisingCollege studentsParentsHigh school studentsTech workers and developersEducators and studentsParents and familiesUnited StatesCanadaUnited Kingdomfake online tutor scamtutoring advance fee fraud
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Andrew, 21, a college students, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate back-to-school scams situation while using Website. Scammers create professional-looking tutoring websites or profiles on freelance platforms, advertising expertise in high-demand subjects and standardized test prep.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: Students or parents pay for multi-session packages upfront, often 200-500 dollars, and the tutor provides one or two subpar sessions before becoming unreachable.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Some operations also collect student academic records and personal information that can be used for identity theft or resold.
The outcome
Andrew realized something was wrong when tutoring service requires full prepayment for a package of sessions with no refund policy. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Use your school's official tutoring center or vetted platforms like Wyzant or Tutor.com that offer payment protection. Andrew's experience shows why tutoring service requires full prepayment for a package of sessions with no refund policy and tutor credentials cannot be verified and profiles appear fabricated are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Tutoring service requires full prepayment for a package of sessions with no refund policy
- Tutor credentials cannot be verified and profiles appear fabricated
- Service has no reviews on established platforms and only positive testimonials on its own site
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Use your school's official tutoring center or vetted platforms like Wyzant or Tutor.com that offer payment protection.
- ✓Never pay for more than one session upfront until you have verified the tutor's credentials and quality.
- ✓Report fake tutoring services to the BBB and the platform where you found them.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- The BBB received a 35% increase in tutoring service complaints in 2024, with most reports involving services found through social media ads that required full prepayment.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Use your school's official tutoring center or vetted platforms like Wyzant or Tutor.com that offer payment protection.
- ✓Never pay for more than one session upfront until you have verified the tutor's credentials and quality.
- ✓Report fake tutoring services to the BBB and the platform where you found them.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
The BBB received a 35% increase in tutoring service complaints in 2024, with most reports involving services found through social media ads that required full prepayment.
BBB Scam Tracker 2024
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
College students, Parents, High school students
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada, United Kingdom
Primary channel
Website — Back-to-school scams
Why this group is vulnerable
College students are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The growing number of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- The BBB received a 35% increase in tutoring service complaints in 2024, with most reports involving services found through social media ads that required full prepayment.
Source notes
- BBB Scam Tracker 2024
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about fake tutoring service scam
How does the fake tutoring service scam work?+
Scammers create professional-looking tutoring websites or profiles on freelance platforms, advertising expertise in high-demand subjects and standardized test prep. Students or parents pay for multi-session packages upfront, often 200-500 dollars, and the tutor provides one or two subpar sessions before becoming unreachable. Some operations also collect student academic records and personal information that can be used for identity theft or resold.
What are the warning signs of fake tutoring service scam?+
Tutoring service requires full prepayment for a package of sessions with no refund policy Tutor credentials cannot be verified and profiles appear fabricated Service has no reviews on established platforms and only positive testimonials on its own site
What should I do if I encounter fake tutoring service scam?+
Use your school's official tutoring center or vetted platforms like Wyzant or Tutor.com that offer payment protection. Never pay for more than one session upfront until you have verified the tutor's credentials and quality. Report fake tutoring services to the BBB and the platform where you found them.
Who is most at risk for fake tutoring service scam?+
This scam primarily targets College students, Parents, High school students. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada, United Kingdom and typically appears on Website.
Is fake tutoring service scam on the rise?+
fake tutoring service scam is currently on the rise with growing reports. It has been reported across US, CA, UK. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.