Many University of Waterloo (UW) students have been confused by false advertisement stickers around campus, promoting “inexpensive, confidential online” counselling for UW students. The stickers display the official university logo and list a website, uwtherapy.com, where students can allegedly access those services. As of Mar. 7, uwtherapy.com was not an active site. These stickers are fake and do not advertise an official university resource. “This information should not be considered a way to access counselling services on campus,” Director of Campus Wellness, Walter Mittelstaedt said.
Staff were made aware of these stickers after several students reported that they didn’t recognize the website listed on the sticker. “We’re disappointed there is information out there that could point people looking for counselling to the wrong location,” Matthew Grant, director of media relations at UW, said.
Fortunately, no students have complained of any wrongdoing to the university or the Waterloo Regional Police relating to this false advertisement. The exact source of these stickers is still unknown; however, it is clear that “this information does not come from UW but rather from a person(s) who are fraudulently presenting themselves as being from the university,” Mittelstaedt said. UW staff are currently working on taking the stickers down.
Anyone looking to access services on campus or in the community can do so through the contacts below:
- UW Counselling Services – 519-888-4567 ext. 32655
- UW Health Services – Student Medical Clinic – 519-888-4096
- Employee and Family Assistance Plan Provider (Homewood Health): 1-800-663-1142
- Occupational Health: Linda Brogden at ext. 36264 or Karen Parkinson at ext. 30338
- Grand River Hospital – 519-749-4300
- St. Mary’s Hospital – 519-744-3311
- Good2Talk – 1-866-925-5454
- Here 24/7 – 1-844-437-3247
- Crisis Services Canada – 1-833-456-4566 or by text 45645
- Kitchener-Waterloo Sexual Assault Support Centre – 519-741-8633
