Phone and internet scams are common no matter where you are. Be aware of how to identify scams and what to do if you encounter one.
In these scams and many others that have occurred over the years, the scammers tend to target international students. Often, there are language or cultural barriers that make international students more susceptible.
Here are the red flags to keep in mind when you receive a call from an unknown person:
- No government official will ever demand money over the phone. If someone claims to be a police officer, immigration official, a tax agent, or any other government representative demanding money, the call is likely a scam.
- Scammers try to intimidate victims with empty threats of arrest or deportation. If a caller threatens to have you arrested if you hang up, the call is likely a scam.
- Often, scammers will demand payment in the form of something other than cash. If a caller directs you to purchase gift cards or transfer payment in the form of virtual currency, the call is likely a scam.
- Sometimes, scammers will direct you to visit a series of banks to withdraw cash. Scammers know that withdrawing large amounts of cash raises red flags for bank employees, so they will direct the victim to visit a number of banks to withdraw smaller amounts.
- Scammers often “spoof” phone numbers of legitimate agencies. Number “spoofing” makes the victim’s caller ID display a legitimate phone number even though the call is originating from somewhere entirely different. If you have doubts about a caller’s identity, you should hang up and call the listed number for that agency to speak to a representative.
If you encounter any of these red flags, hang up immediately and call police. The 24-hour non-emergency number for the University of Illinois Police Department is 217-333-1216, or you can email us at police@illinois.edu.
Sexual extortion
Sexual extortion — commonly known as “sextortion” — is a form of sexual exploitation where an unknown individual will contact you (often on social media) and encourage you to send intimate photos or videos of yourself. After the photo is sent, the unknown person will demand that you send them money under the threat of publicly posting the photo, or sending it to your social media contacts.
To avoid a “sextortion” scam:
- Remain vigilant and skeptical of online acquaintances whom you have never met in person. Remember, they may not tell the truth and aim to lure victims into a false sense of security.
- Ensure your privacy settings are set to an appropriate level so strangers cannot take note of your personal information or contacts/friends/followers.
- If you choose to engage in sexual activity on the internet, it is imperative that you know and trust the person on the other end and that everyone involved is a consenting adult.
- It is not recommended to pay a scammer. Offenders may return the next day for even more money.
- Those who do become a target or victim of sextortion should make note of the user’s online profiles, usernames and contact information to report to police. Communication with the offender should stop immediately.
Scam log
These scams have been reported to the University of Illinois Police Department. We post them here so you can be better informed about what to watch out for.
- Sexual extortion
A U. of I. student reported that an unknown person sent him a message on Instagram and initiated a private conversation, during which the unknown person encouraged the student to send intimate photos of himself. The conversation moved to Snapchat, where the student sent intimate photos. After sending the photos, the unknown person demanded that the student send $800 under threat of publicly posting the photo. The student complied and sent $500 across three transactions. The student ceased contact with the scammer and contacted police.
- Task scam
An individual reported receiving two part-time job offers from people purporting to be Korn Ferry and Kelly Services employees via WhatsApp. After expressing his interest, the man was contacted by the “trainer,” who explained how to complete the tasks. After completing a job, small amounts of cryptocurrency were deposited into his coin base. Eventually, the man was contacted by another unknown person who was also completing tasks, and this individual said he would need to pay small amounts of money to “unlock” new tasks. The price to unlock tasks started small, but the individual realized he was being scammed when the companies asked for larger amounts. The individual sent approximately $3,000 to the scammers while only receiving roughly $2,000 in payments. The individual ceased all contact with the scammers and contacted police.
- Fake Facebook Marketplace buyer
A U of I student used Facebook Marketplace to sell clothing for $230 and was contacted by an interested buyer. The buyer sent $230 via Zelle, but the student never received the money. The buyer then asked the student to send $300 via Zelle because they overpaid, and the student complied. The buyer then requested an additional $500 from the student, who again complied. After receiving the second transaction, the buyer asked the student to share their bank account information. The student then realized they were being scammed, ceased contact with the scammer and contacted police.
- Fake apartment sublease
A U. of I. student reported responding to a post she saw about an apartment lease in the “UIUC Housing Sublet & Roommates” Facebook group. After filling out the rental application and lease agreement, she was asked to send a deposit of $800 via Zelle. The initial transaction failed, so she sent $400 to two people. Once the transactions were complete, she was asked to send an additional $300 for apartment renovation costs to five different people, all of which failed. The student was then contacted by her bank, who advised her that the accounts had been flagged for scams and that the transactions had been denied. The student ceased all contact with the scammers and contacted police.
- Fake job offer
A man reported receiving an email from someone purporting to be a representative of ORIC Pharmaceutical Company. After responding to the email, he was directed to contact a second individual via Microsoft Teams, and he was informed he would receive a $1,250 check via email. The scammer told the man to deposit the check into his account, go to the nearest CVS or Best Buy, purchase a $200 Sephora gift card and send them the receipt and card information. The man purchased the gift card but felt uneasy about the situation, so he discontinued communication with the scammer and contacted the police.
- Fake immigration email
A man reported receiving an email from what appeared to be U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stating he failed to report a change of address and threatened him with arrest, deportation and fines. After contacting the “USCIS Helpline,” the individual provided the scammer with two forms of identification and received repeated phone calls from an unknown individual purporting to be an immigration agent. The scammer demanded he purchase Target gift cards in the amount of $375 to avoid criminal and financial consequences. The individual purchased 12 gift cards totaling $4,500 to be transferred to the scammer. Police were contacted, and the student discontinued communication with the scammer.
- Fake apartment sublet
At the beginning of the year, a University of Illinois student sought a summer sublet in New York and received a message from someone on Reddit claiming to have an available apartment. After switching to text messages, the scammer emailed a sublet agreement, and the student paid a $1,200 deposit through CashApp. Upon arriving in New York, the landlord contacted the student about a package delivered to the apartment, revealing that the individual he was subletting from had been evicted and had been running this scam for some time. The student contacted police, and the scammer eventually refunded the student’s money due to “ongoing issues.”
- Fake job ad
A U. of I. student reported receiving an email advertising a job opportunity as an administrative assistant. After exchanging texts with the scammer, the student received two checks for $500 and deposited them into her account. The scammer then requested proof of the deposit and directed the student to send $1,000 via Apple Pay to an “orphanage” for urgently needed supplies. The student complied but grew suspicious and contacted Chase Bank, which informed her the checks were fake. The student ended communication with the scammer and contacted police.
- Facebook Marketplace fraud
A U. of I. student reported attempting to buy a $600 iPhone 15 Pro Max he found on Facebook Marketplace. He contacted the seller and agreed to send the money through PayPal. The seller provided a tracking number that did not work, and the iPhone never arrived. The student could no longer make contact with the seller and contacted police.
- Fake police investigation
A University of Illinois student reported being contacted by someone claiming to be from ITALK-BB phone company, who said her information was used to open a phone line in China involved in a scam. She was then connected to supposed Chinese authorities, who accused her of involvement in a scam that defrauded people out of seven million yen (about one million U.S. dollars) and resulted in a death. They claimed an arrest warrant was issued, showed her a photo of herself and knew her Chinese ID or passport number. During the video “interrogation,” the student gave the scammers most of her personally identifiable information. Under threat of arrest and deportation, the student checked in with the scammers almost daily and was coerced into transferring $50,000 to a Busey Bank account. Realizing it was a scam after being asked for a second transfer, police were contacted, and the student discontinued contact with the scammers.