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.
- Fake concert tickets
A U. of I. student was scammed out of $300 when attempting to purchase Tyler the Creator concert tickets. The student was contacted by an unknown individual on GroupMe purporting to be a University of Illinois student. After sending the money via Apple Cash, the unknown individual suspended all communications with the student.
- Dating scam
A U. of I. student was targeted in an online dating scam. The student reported meeting a woman on an online dating website. Their conversation then moved to WhatsApp, where the woman agreed to meet up with the student and give him a back massage for $200. Once the student arrived at the meeting spot, an unknown man called and instructed him to send the $200 via Zelle. Once the student sent the money, he was told to send an additional $500 as a deposit. The student then purchased $400 in gift cards and sent the card information to the individual who called him. The man continued to demand payment and threatened to harm the student if he did not comply. The student grew suspicious, ceased all contact with the unknown individuals and contacted police.
- Fake immigration call
A U. of I. student was targeted in a phone scam by someone posing as an ICE officer, claiming that a fraudulent passport had been issued in her name. The scammer used number spoofing to make the call appear legitimate and instructed the student to verify the phone number online. Later, the student received another spoofed call appearing to be from local law enforcement, warning her not to disclose the situation due to an “active investigation.” The scammers convinced the student to buy 32 gift cards totaling nearly $10,000 to cover a supposed bond deposit. After discussing the situation with friends, the student realized it was a scam, ceased contact with the individuals, and reported the incident to the police.
- PayPal account upgrade scam
A U. of I. student reported being the victim of an internet-based scam. The student was selling a prom dress on Facebook and received a message from an individual interested in purchasing the dress. The scammers claimed she needed to upgrade to a business account to complete a transaction, demanding $130 via PayPal and Zelle, followed by additional payments. Later, someone posing as an FBI agent threatened financial consequences if she did not comply with further payment demands. The student ceased contact with the scammers and contacted police.
- Puppy scam
A woman reported being the victim of an internet-based scam. The woman intended to purchase a Dachshund puppy from a company in Nebraska and paid an $800 deposit through Venmo and ApplePay. She then was asked to pay over $2,000 across multiple transactions for the puppy, a flight, an insulated kennel, and mortality insurance. On the day the puppy was supposed to get delivered, the company informed her the dog had died, and she would be paid $56,000 through her insurance policy, with $10,000 arriving the following Monday. The woman has yet to receive a payment.
- Credit card fraud prevention scam
A U. of I. student fell victim to a fraud scam involving individuals posing as Chase Bank fraud protection employees. The scammers called her twice, claiming to address unauthorized transactions in Texas and asking her to verify her identity through pop-ups in the Chase app. They requested her PIN and email address, and she provided the information. Later, she noticed unauthorized ATM withdrawals totaling $1,160. Realizing the scam, she contacted Chase Bank, who confirmed the fraudulent transactions. The student ceased all contact with the scammer and contacted police.
- Fake tech support
A U. of I. student reported purchasing a monthly subscription she no longer wanted. The student searched the Apple customer support phone number online and clicked on the first one that appeared. The offender informed the student that she would have to send money in gift cards to receive a refund for the monthly subscription. The student initially purchased a $300 and a $200 Target gift card and provided the offender with the card information. She was then instructed to buy two more $300 gift cards, and she complied. When the offender asked the student to purchase $700 in gift cards, she realized she was being scammed. The student ceased all communication with the scammer and contacted police.
- Sexual extortion
A man contacted U. of I. police to report that he was the victim of extortion. The man was contacted via Facebook Messenger by a female whose picture he had commented on previously. After exchanging explicit photos and videos, the offender told him she would share the images with his family and friends unless he sent her a $100 pre-paid Visa card. After sending the Visa card, the offender told the man the card was not valid and requested $200 in pre-paid Apple gift cards. The man complied but continued to receive threatening messages from the offender. The man contacted police and ceased all communication with the offender.
- Fake homework assistance
A U. of I. student contacted an individual on WhatsApp for assistance with locating sources for an assignment. Both parties agreed that each source would cost $30, and the student transferred $180 to the offender via the online banking platform Remitly for six sources. After transferring the funds, the student never received the sources and questioned the offender, who began requesting more money and threatening the student. The student contacted police and ceased communication with the scammer.
- Fake art project
A U. of I. student reported being the victim of an internet-based scam. The student was contacted via direct message on Instagram by an unknown account. The unknown user asked the student if they could use photos from his profile for an art project and told him he would be compensated. The student agreed and was emailed three checks totaling $2,100. After depositing the checks, the student was asked for proof of the deposits, which he provided. The offender then asked the student to send them money for art supplies. The student became suspicious of the unknown individual, reported his concerns to his bank and contacted police.