A U. of I. student was targeted in a phone scam by someone posing as an ICE officer, claiming that a fraudulent passport had been issued in her name. The scammer used number spoofing to make the call appear legitimate and instructed the student to verify the phone number online. Later, the student received another spoofed call appearing to be from local law enforcement, warning her not to disclose the situation due to an "active investigation." The scammers convinced the student to buy 32 gift cards totaling nearly $10,000 to cover a supposed bond deposit. After discussing the situation with [...]

A U. of I. student reported being the victim of an internet-based scam. The student was selling a prom dress on Facebook and received a message from an individual interested in purchasing the dress. The scammers claimed she needed to upgrade to a business account to complete a transaction, demanding $130 via PayPal and Zelle, followed by additional payments. Later, someone posing as an FBI agent threatened financial consequences if she did not comply with further payment demands. The student ceased contact with the scammers and contacted police.

A woman reported being the victim of an internet-based scam. The woman intended to purchase a Dachshund puppy from a company in Nebraska and paid an $800 deposit through Venmo and ApplePay. She then was asked to pay over $2,000 across multiple transactions for the puppy, a flight, an insulated kennel, and mortality insurance. On the day the puppy was supposed to get delivered, the company informed her the dog had died, and she would be paid $56,000 through her insurance policy, with $10,000 arriving the following Monday. The woman has yet to receive a payment.

A U. of I. student fell victim to a fraud scam involving individuals posing as Chase Bank fraud protection employees. The scammers called her twice, claiming to address unauthorized transactions in Texas and asking her to verify her identity through pop-ups in the Chase app. They requested her PIN and email address, and she provided the information. Later, she noticed unauthorized ATM withdrawals totaling $1,160. Realizing the scam, she contacted Chase Bank, who confirmed the fraudulent transactions. The student ceased all contact with the scammer and contacted police.