BOSTON UNIVERSITY POLICE CRIME ALERT: FRAUD WARNING
01/12/2024
Please find information below regarding recent concerning fraudulent activity.
Incidents: On Friday January 12, 2024, at 1:30 a.m. BUPD received six reports of fraud. All the reporting persons are parents of Boston University student athletes. Each received a telephone call from an unknown person who stated they were from the Boston University Police Department. The suspect stated that the students were under arrest and a payment was required to pay for fees associated with the arrest. The suspect requested payment through a cash payment app.
Advice: We urge all members of our community to be vigilant against theft and fraud. Please take a moment to consider the possibility that a situation may be a scam or a fraud. Police will NEVER ask for payment to resolve a criminal matter. We remind our community that they should not enter into any financial transactions with unknown people online.
How to Report. BU Police 617-353-2121. If you are off campus, call 9-1-1. If you are unsure if a communication is a fraud, you may call the BUPD for advice anytime. You can also reach BUPD by texting the word ‘BU’ to (847411). We welcome your messages and inquiries at any time.
You may also report phishing and potentially fraudulent emails to abuse@bu.edu. Examples of phishing messages can be found at the BU Information Security’s Phish Bowl site https://www.bu.edu/tech/support/information-security/bus-phish-bowl/ . Please note that the University will never ask you for your password or to “click a link to verify your email address or identity” no matter how convincing the email may appear.
Below are some useful tips provided to consumers by the Federal Trade Commission. Sign up for free scam alerts from the FTC at https://consumer.ftc.gov/scams to get the latest tips and advice about scams sent right to your inbox.
Signs that Someone May be Attempting to Scam You
- You receive a call, message, or email unexpectedly from someone claiming to be from a company, bank, government agency, or law enforcement entity.
- The caller claims that someone is using your identity, owe money, someone in your family has had an emergency or is in trouble, or says you are involved in a crime.
- You are told you need to prove your innocence.
- You are threatened with legal action, arrest, or deportation.
- You are told that you must pay a fee, fine, bond or bail money to resolve a criminal matter.
- You are told not to speak to anyone.
- You are told to keep your camera on all the time as you are under surveillance.
- You are asked for personal information, such as your passport details, date of birth or bank information.
- You are asked to pay through cryptocurrency, money wires, payment app, or gift cards.
- You are sent a check and asked to deposit it before sending the money back.
How to Protect Yourself from Falling Victim to a Scam/Fraud Attempt
- Safety First. If you are concerned for your safety, contact the police immediately by calling 911 or the Boston University Police at 617-353-2121.
- Don’t Answer / Just Hang up. If you answer the phone and hear a recorded sales pitch, hang up and report it to the FTC. These calls are illegal, and often the products are bogus. Do not press one to speak to a person or to be taken off the list. That could lead to more calls. Better yet don’t answer telephone calls from people you don’t know.
- Don’t be pressured. Scammers often threaten you and pressure you to prove your innocence. Hang up and don’t respond.
- Talk to someone. Before you give money or personal information, talk to someone you trust. Con artists want you to make decisions in a hurry. They might even threaten you. Slow down, check out the story, do an online search, consult an expert — or just tell a friend.
- Get others involved. If someone tells you that you are being investigated, speak to the local police, the Boston University Police, a parent, or a trusted friend.
- Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity, or a company whom you do business. Do not send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request — whether it comes as a text, a phone call, or an email.
- Google it. Type a company or product name into your favorite search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Search for a phrase that describes your situation, like “IRS call.” You can even search for phone numbers to see if other people have reported them as scams.
- Do not believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see are not always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.
- Do not pay upfront for a promise. Someone might ask you to pay in advance for things like debt relief, credit and loan offers, mortgage assistance, or a job. They might even say you have won a prize, but first you have to pay taxes or fees. If you do, they will probably take the money and disappear.
- Consider how you pay. Credit cards have significant fraud protection built in, but some payment methods do not. Wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram is risky because it is nearly impossible to get your money back. That’s also true of cards (like MoneyPak or Reloadit) and gift cards (like iTunes or Google Play). Government offices and honest companies won’t require you to use these payment methods.
- Be skeptical about free trial offers. Some companies use free trials to sign you up for products and bill you every month until you cancel. Before you agree to a free trial, research the company and read the cancellation policy. In addition, always review your monthly statements for charges you do not recognize.
- Do not deposit a check and wire money back. By law, banks must make funds from deposited checks available within days but uncovering a fake check can take weeks. If a check you deposit turns out to be a fake, you are responsible for repaying the bank.
- Never rent without visiting the actual premises. Always sign a written lease which identifies the owner before sending money to hold an apartment.
The following is provided as a further reminder to our BU Community:
Risk reduction/safety precautions. If you do not feel comfortable intervening in any situation, notify someone to help.
BU Police 617-353-2121. If you are off campus, call 9-1-1.
Text BUPD anonymously by texting “BU” to 847411.
Emergency telephones are located throughout the BU campus.
Utilize Scarlet Safe Walk 617-353-4877 or public transportation.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Trust your intuition – if a situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, get away or call for help.
Issued by:
Boston University Police Department
32 Harry Agganis Way
Boston, MA 02215
617-353-2121
WHAT IS THIS NOTICE?
This notice is a timely warning message. Boston University Police has information to share about a recurring crime on campus.
FEEDBACK: We welcome your feedback to help make our messages better. Please send to bupolice@bu.edu