University of Pittsburgh police warn of scam targeting students

University of Pittsburgh police are warning of scams more than a week after students returned to campus for the fall semester.

According to a post on the department’s Twitter page, officers have seen an increase in fraud cases where the agency’s phone number is spoofed and a person pretends to be an officer. Students began moving back to campus the weekend of Aug. 20.

“Pitt community members have been targeted through a variety of scams, resulting in significant loss of money and emotional distress,” police wrote on their website.

????There has been an increase in fraud cases involving the agency phone number being spoofed and the suspect pretending to be law enforcement personnel.

➡️ Visit our website for some tips on recognizing scams and how to avoid being victimized. ???? https://t.co/o8wEgDbpOe pic.twitter.com/kQeEzIk0Bv

— Pitt Police (@PittPolice) August 29, 2022

They noted that scams come in various forms, with the most common being people asking for payment — often in the form of gift cards or cryptocurrency — or pretending to be a government agency.

Scammers could pretend to be an employee of agencies like the IRS or a local police department and ask for personal information or money in various forms. A legitimate government agency will not ask for a social security number, request payments like a wire or gift cards or overpay with a check.

College students are also often targeted by scammers who obtain potentially damaging personal information or photos, which are then extorted for money.

To avoid scams, officers recommend increasing privacy settings on social media accounts; avoid sharing debit cards, PIN numbers or other personal identification numbers; memorize Social Security numbers rather than carrying the card; and using caution with apps like CashApp and Venmo.

Anyone who thinks they might have been scammed can call 911 or Pitt police at 412-624-2121.