Question: My son, who is in high school, is getting calls from someone calling about his SAT score and wanting personal information. Thankfully, he told me about it and didn’t give his Social Security number (he doesn’t know it). Is this a scam?

Answer: Yes, the fact that the caller asked for his Social Security number marks it as an identity theft attempt rather than a telemarketing scheme — although either could be described as potential scams. People under 18 make ripe targets for identity theft, a crime. Parents should teach their children to protect personally identifying information (including their cellphone numbers) and insist that their schools do as well (more on this later).

The College Board, which administers the SAT college entrance exam, testing for the Advanced Placement curriculum and other programs, is aware of scams involving people who pretend to work for the organization. The scammers try to sell test-prep materials or request personally identifying information from students or their family members, such as credit card and Social Security numbers. “These calls do not come from the College Board. Please report these calls to the FCC,” it says on its website.

The Federal Communications Commission doesn’t resolve individual problems, but complaints received do affect policy decisions and are the basis of broad enforcement actions to help all consumers. You can file a complaint at 808ne.ws/fcc.

We also heard from a reader about an apparent telephone “spoofing” attempt by a College Board impersonator. She no longer has children living at home, but is familiar with the glut of phone calls, email and regular mail that prospective college students receive. Be wary of rip-offs amid the legitimate outreach, she warned.

“Spoofing” uses technology to mask the source of a phone call, text or email. A “spoofed” call makes it appear on the recipient’s caller ID as if the call is coming from someone else.

The College Board says to be cautious about any unsolicited contact purportedly from the organization; don’t supply any personal information. “Representatives of the College Board only make calls to students and their families in response to student-generated inquiries and/or to provide students and families with information about a test or program for which the student registered,” it says.

You can call the College Board at 866-680-9990 to confirm whether a call is legitimate.

As for identity theft, distinct from sales pitches for useless or unnecessary goods or services: Consumer protection agencies say minors are prime targets because they are more likely to have an unused Social Security number and less likely to have a credit report, tend to freely share information online (teach them not to) and attend schools and belong to teams, clubs and other groups that gather sensitive personal data (supply the minimum required and make sure it is protected).

“A child’s Social Security number can be used by identity thieves to apply for government benefits, open bank and credit card accounts, apply for a loan or utility service, or rent a place to live,” the Federal Trade Commission warns. “Many school forms require personal and, sometimes, sensitive information. Find out how your child’s information is collected, used, stored and thrown away. … Asking schools and other organizations to safeguard your child’s information can help minimize your child’s risk of identity theft.”

It’s wise to check your child’s credit history by their 16th birthday. If there is a fraudulent credit report, you should be able to correct it before they reach adulthood. Go to 808ne.ws/ftcid for more information.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.