University Police determine battery report was inaccurate
CHAMPAIGN, Illinois – A woman who initially reported that she was stabbed on Green Street on Tuesday evening later recanted that story, and police determined that there is no ongoing threat to campus. The initial report prompted an Illini-Alert emergency notification that was sent to all students, faculty and staff. University Police promptly issued a follow-up “all clear” notice when their investigation determined that there never was a threat to the safety of campus. Police initially were called around 9 p.m. Tuesday by a Carle Foundation Hospital Security Guard to report a woman with a stab wound in the ER. [...]
Sexual extortion
A U. of I. student reported that an unknown person sent him a message on Instagram and initiated a private conversation, during which the unknown person encouraged the student to send intimate photos of himself. The conversation moved to Snapchat, where the student sent intimate photos. After sending the photos, the unknown person demanded that the student send $800 under threat of publicly posting the photo. The student complied and sent $500 across three transactions. The student ceased contact with the scammer and contacted police.
Task scam
An individual reported receiving two part-time job offers from people purporting to be Korn Ferry and Kelly Services employees via WhatsApp. After expressing his interest, the man was contacted by the "trainer," who explained how to complete the tasks. After completing a job, small amounts of cryptocurrency were deposited into his coin base. Eventually, the man was contacted by another unknown person who was also completing tasks, and this individual said he would need to pay small amounts of money to "unlock" new tasks. The price to unlock tasks started small, but the individual realized he was being scammed when [...]
Fake Facebook Marketplace buyer
A U of I student used Facebook Marketplace to sell clothing for $230 and was contacted by an interested buyer. The buyer sent $230 via Zelle, but the student never received the money. The buyer then asked the student to send $300 via Zelle because they overpaid, and the student complied. The buyer then requested an additional $500 from the student, who again complied. After receiving the second transaction, the buyer asked the student to share their bank account information. The student then realized they were being scammed, ceased contact with the scammer and contacted police.
University Police to host Community Unity Festival
URBANA, Illinois – The Division of Public Safety will host the Community Unity Festival on Tuesday, Aug. 27, to bring public safety agencies, service organizations and community members together. The event will take place between 5-8 p.m. on Aug. 27 on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign south quad. CU Fest is designed to create opportunities for law enforcement, students, faculty, staff and community members to interact in a positive, informal setting, jointly breaking down barriers and encouraging open communication. "The purpose of CU Fest is to build bridges between law enforcement and the community we serve in a fun, interactive [...]