Students Report Fraudulent Credit Card Activity

Credit Cards, from A1 Britton Smith—whose credit card information was stolen after buying an online ticket—woke up the morning of Feb. 14 with two texts from his billing provider, alerting him to a charge at Walmart as well as a series of other purchases he did not make.

“One was like a $400 purchase at Viasat … that got declined and then a $2000 purchase at Lowe’s, which was declined,”

Smith, CSOM ’24, said. “And then I received an email as well on my BC email, saying that I’d been signed up for like a Milo’s membership or something like that.”

Looking back at his prior purchases, Smith said the only one that stuck out as a potential cause of the suspicious card activity was a recent charge from the Robsham Box Office for a ticket to the ALC Ball on Feb. 1.

“But that didn’t really click until my mom saw on the BC parents Facebook that a bunch of other BC students have apparently gotten their credit card info stolen,” Smith said. “So, I looked through Herrd, and, yeah, I saw a bunch of other people who had the same experience.”

Emily Hyder, MCAS ’23; Maddy Mitchell, CSOM ’23; and Kayla Vidal, MCAS ’23, were all notified of fraudulent charges to their credit cards after purchasing tickets to the 100 Days Dance from Robsham Box Office.

“The Wednesday after [the dance], I got a notification from my credit card that said that someone was trying to spend $375 at Walmart. com,” Hyder said. “So I called, and I canceled the card, and then I went on to my statement online, and it said that someone had just spent $50 on Amazon and also bought an Amazon Prime membership.”

Mitchell first noticed a fraudulent charge on Feb. 16 for an $180 purchase in a Walmart in Bentonville, Ark.

“Obviously, I was not in Arkansas,” Mitchell said. “So I texted my mom and basically just ended up … reporting the charge as fraud and canceling my debit card because it said it came through my debit card … and issued myself a new one.”

By Tuesday, Mitchell said she began hearing about students who had similar experiences.

“A lot of other people were also saying charges from Walmart in Arkansas and obviously like various other ones as well … so I realized that it was connected to a bigger thing and not just a personal thing that I had dealt with,” Mitchell said.

Vidal received texts from her bank account notifying her of the fraudulent charges on the night of Feb. 22, two weeks after she bought a ticket for the 100 Days Dance.

“I got a text overnight that was like please verify these claims,” Vidal said. “A couple of them were the ones … that I have made but the last couple were the ones from Walmart. And I think it was $152 that they charged on my card on my account to Walmart.”

Vidal said she realized the charges were related to her purchase through Robsham after hearing how other students were affected.

“I didn’t really use my card much,” Vidal said. “So like the common denominator in terms of what people have been thinking, for me, would just be the dance. I didn’t charge it anywhere else.”

According to the email, AudienceView is currently in the process of identifying a list of those potentially impacted by the security issue and will communicate directly with them either through letter or email. For the time being, online ticket sales through AudienceView will be suspended until the issue is resolved.

“We regret that some members of the BC community who purchased online tickets for campus events through this vendor’s platform have been affected by this security issue,” the email reads. “We encourage you to look out for correspondence from AudienceView in the coming days, and follow the company’s recommendations to protect yourself from fraudulent activity.”

Companions, from A1

According to the release, BC will be joining other top universities by launching this new adult learning program.

“Boston College Companions builds on established adult learning programs at other leading colleges and universities, including Harvard, Stanford, and Notre Dame, by offering distinctive components of Jesuit spirituality and pedagogy that will help participants grow in discernment and sense of purpose,” the release reads.

panions website.

“The pillars of the program are the easiest way to sum up the benefits: renew purpose, explore discernment, [and] deepen spirituality,” Laurence said. “To expand on the pillars … Fellows will have time to reflect on their experiences and discern a sense of calling for the next chapter of their lives.”

In addition to academic classes, guest lectures, and weekly discussions, fellows will also be able to participate in retreats, service learning, guided conversations, and spiritual direction, including a trip to Spain and Italy to learn more about Jesuit tradition, according to the release.

“The Fellows will be together for the cohort-specific curriculum, which includes the immersive experiences in Boston, as well as the retreats and pilgrimage,” Laurence said. “Dinners and social gatherings are part of these programs – and no doubt Fellows will plan additional things as a group. Fellows will be part of the larger community and are welcome to participate in lectures, art exhibits, and all that BC offers.”

The three pillars of the program will be purpose, discernment, and spirituality, according to the BC Com-

Laurence said BC’s goal when designing the program was to make sure it fit with the Jesuit tradition at

BC.

“The team that created this program has always focused on ensuring the program fits in with BC’s mission and our Jesuit heritage,” Laurence said. “BC helps students (faculty and staff too) to integrate mind, heart, body, and soul so as to live life fully.”

BEN SCHULTZ / FOR THE HEIGHTS of lifelong education for

Incorporating intergenerational learning into BC’s campus will provide undergraduate and graduate students with the chance to connect with fellows and learn about their professional experiences, according to Laurence.

“Intergenerational learning will enrich our campus – both in and out of the classroom,” Laurence said. “We expect the Fellows will be able to draw on their previous experiences and extensive networks to engage with members of the campus community, and in turn they will benefit from time spent with faculty, staff, students, and alumni.” n