A U. of I. student reported that he was the victim of sexual extortion. About a month prior, an unknown person initiated a private conversation with the student through social media. The offender encouraged the student to send intimate photos of himself. The offender then began threatening the student and posting the photos on social media. The student has not responded to further phone calls and messages from the offender.

A U. of I. student received a call from someone purporting to be an “ambassador” from Chicago, who said that the student was under police investigation for international money laundering. The student was interrogated by the scammer for several hours, during which she was prompted to disclose personal and financial information. The student was instructed to maintain video contact with the offender via Skype under threat of arrest. The offender then instructed the student to send the equivalent of $106,000 to a third party in transactions that occurred over multiple days.

A U. of I. student reported that she had been the victim of fraud. The student received a social media message from a person who purported to be interested in an apartment sublease that the student’s roommate had advertised on Facebook. The interested person sent a digital image of check for $2,500 to cover the first month’s $440 in rent and directed the student to send the $2,060 balance to a third party. The student did so, and then several days later was informed by her bank that the original check was invalid.