Area deemed safe after Illini-Alert
CHAMPAIGN, Illinois — An off-campus emergency which prompted an Illini-Alert notification to students, faculty and staff Friday morning has been resolved. At 5:54 a.m. Friday, a 911 caller reported an individual was acting erratically, unclothed, and possibly in need of medical attention near the area of Second and Green streets, Champaign. Police and medical responders were dispatched. The first arriving officer was on scene within a minute of being dispatched and observed that the individual was holding a knife. Officers contained the individual to a small area and began speaking with her for an extended period of time to de-escalate [...]
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 [...]
False threats
A woman reported receiving a message from an unknown person on Instagram asking her to be a muse for an art project. After agreeing, she received a text message from the scammer telling her she would receive $2,500 but requested $500 for supplies. When she refused, the scammer emailed her a $400 check and asked her to send it back. After depositing the check, she received a threatening text from another number with a photo of an injured person, demanding repayment via Zelle. The woman complied but discontinued communication with the scammer and contacted police.
UIPD concludes investigation into Jan. 20 student death
URBANA, Illinois – The University of Illinois Police Department has concluded that the Jan. 20 death of a student was accidental and has worked to take remedial actions. Akul Dhawan, 18, was found deceased in the 1200 block of West Nevada Street, Urbana, just after 11 a.m. Jan. 20. The Champaign County Coroner later ruled that the cause of death was hypothermia, with acute alcohol intoxication being a contributing factor. Mr. Dhawan had gotten separated from his friends the night before, when air temperatures were around zero degrees Fahrenheit with -15 degree wind chills. The University of Illinois Police Department [...]
Fake art project
A U. of I. student reported being the victim of an internet-based scam in April. The student was contacted via the chat feature on the website Deviant Art by someone purporting to be an artist who wanted to use one of the student's drawings as inspiration in exchange for credit and compensation. After allowing his work to be used, the conversation moved to the communications app Discord, where the student was asked for his banking information, which he provided. After receiving a check via email, the student was asked to send money via Zelle and PayPal. These checks and deposits [...]