is Sigma Alpha Lambda a scam?

Question

My son got an invitation to join the honor organization Sigma Alpha Lambda at Southern Illinois University. It said they were a registered student organization but I can find them on SIU's list. They are also not listed in the Association of College Honor Societies. He's gotten letters like this before. Is it a scam? I'm thinking so. They want $59.

Answer 1

After perusing the SAL website, I came across this page: http://www.salhonors.org/subpages/siuc.asp?navid=&id=26. It lists the officers for the SUI chapter. I suggest your son email one of the officers and ask them about it. The best way to find out if an organization is real is by asking people at the school about it. My school's extracurricular website is updated like every 4 years, so some organizations aren't listed even though people know about them.



By the way, asking for money doesn't mean the group isn't real. All honor societies ask for money and $59 is the cheapest price I've seen for membership.

Answer 2

If you can't find an organization ANYWHERE on the 'Net - OF COURSE it is a scam.



Realistically, college honor societies are few and far between - and primarily interested in students on the highest of the highest levels of academic pursuits - and not the average student.



The great PT Barnum once said, "there's a sucker born every minute" - and in this case it seems as if they're trying to see how many suckers they can bribe into sending them 60-bucks.

Answer 3

Even if it isn't a scam, what is he going to get out of it. and how much more money is going to be needed to stay in it.