Purdue community warned of scams targeting international students

Local law enforcement agencies and the Office of the Dean of Students have seen an increase in organized scams that target Purdue students, particularly international students, resulting in the loss of thousands of dollars.

Some of the more common scams include: 

• Individuals impersonating U.S. Immigration officials and requesting payment to purportedly enable an international student to maintain their visa status.
• Individuals sending intimate pictures of themselves via social media applications (e.g., Snapchat) and then being blackmailed by the recipient, who demands money in exchange for not sharing or distributing those photos.
• Individuals signing leases for off-campus housing and paying a security deposit, only to learn that the lease is forged or fictitious.
• Individuals being told, falsely, that they have an outstanding criminal or arrest warrant.

The following scenarios and tips can help you recognize scams and avoid becoming a victim:

Common scenarios

• The scammer will pretend to be from an organization that individuals are familiar with, such as a law enforcement or immigration agency, the IRS or other entity that sounds very official or powerful. They often use technology to change the phone number that appears on a caller ID to make it look as if the call is really from the agency they claim to represent.
• The scammer will inform intended victims of a penalty or problem. They might say that the individual is in trouble with the government or that they owe money, or perhaps claim that a virus has been placed on the individual’s computer. They might ask the intended victim to verify information to prove who they are.
• The scammer will often pressure the individual to act immediately. They want the person to act before they have time to think about the situation. If the scammer calls via telephone, they will likely ask the person not to hang up so that the person cannot check out the story for themselves.
• In “sextortion” scams, the scammer will promise to do something for the individual if the individual does something for them. They will try to make the person feel special and gain their trust, but do not let your guard down and do not do what they ask.
• The scammer will ask people to pay in very specific ways. Scammers often insist that individuals pay them using wire/money transfers or by purchasing gift cards and then giving them the numbers on the backs of the cards. Some scammers might even send people money, ask them to deposit it and then request a lesser amount back, but the check the scammer sent will ultimately turn out to be fraudulent.

Avoiding scams

• Never give personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn’t expect. Legitimate organizations won’t call, email or text to ask for personal information, like Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers.
• If you have not committed a crime or don’t know anything about the allegations that you’ve been told you are in trouble for, hang up the phone and block the number. No legitimate authority will ask you to pay money to avoid being in trouble.
• Resist the pressure to act immediately. Even if the number on a caller ID appears legitimate, do not allow the person to convince you to stay on the line. If you do not believe the person is who they say they are, hang up the phone and look up the number for the agency they claimed to be from and call the agency. Scammers may be able to fake the caller ID, but they cannot reroute calls, and you will almost certainly find out that the call you received was not legitimate when you reach the actual agency or organization.
• If someone asks you to pay them with a gift card, it’s a scam 100% of the time. Gift cards are just that: gifts. Never pay for anything, especially an alleged punishment or penalty, with a wire transfer or gift card number. The money is transferred almost immediately, and then it will be gone again almost as fast. Also, never deposit a check and send money back to someone.
• Regarding “sextortion” scams, the safest approach is never to send private or intimate images or videos to anyone — and definitely not to someone you do not know, no matter what they promise in return. Also, do not participate in the recording of private acts, such as during video chat sessions.
• Never pay money if you notice any of these warning signs. If you do pay, scammers will always come up with another expense or violation they will claim you need to pay for, because they know you will comply.

If you think you are the victim of a scam or fraud, report it to local law enforcement (either West Lafayette Police Department at 765-775-5200 or the Purdue University Police Department at 765-494-8221) immediately.