A U. of I. student reported that he was scammed out of $2,950. The student received a phone call from a number that appeared to originate from a local police department. The caller said the student was wanted on warrants and needed to pay the caller to avoid arrest. The student complied with instructions to visit a local retail store, purchase gift cards and then give the gift card information to the caller.

The student attempted to sell a $200 computer monitor online. An unknown person who claimed to be interested in the monitor instructed the student to send $100 via an online transaction, and then the unknown person would send back $300. The student sent the money and never heard back from the purported buyer.

The student’s brother had entered into a professional services agreement with an unknown person online, and the student agreed to accept payment for that work on his brother’s behalf. The unknown person sent a check exceeding the amount that the student’s brother was to be paid, with instructions to cash the check and return the difference. The student recognized the likely scam and turned over the fraudulent check to the police. 

A U. of I. student reported that someone had filed a fraudulent tax return in his name. The student is working with the Internal Revenue Service to resolve the identity theft.

A U. of I. student reported receiving a call from someone who claimed to be an officer with a Chinese police department and said that the student was involved in a criminal investigation. The caller instructed the student to wire money to an unknown account to clear her name. The student completed two wire transfers in March and April totaling $60,000.