Situational awareness: Scam alert
The Virginia Tech Police Department has received recent complaints from students regarding attempted fraud after receiving emails from unknown individuals. In the reported scams, students were contacted by someone claiming to be from Virginia Tech’s IT and Support Center. Within the email, it's advised that due to the Coronavirus Response and Supplemental Appropriations Act, students are being hired to work remotely. Virginia Tech Police Department has determined that this proposal is not legitimate.
This is one of several types of scams directed at students, faculty, and staff in the past years. The Virginia Tech Police Department would like to remind all community members that:
Common scams perpetrated against the Virginia Tech community and other general safety tips can be found at https://police.vt.edu/scam-alerts.html.
You should never give out personal identifying information over the telephone, by text, or email, to anyone demanding money or financial compensation.
You should never provide personal information such as dates of birth, social security numbers, and bank account/credit card numbers.
No law enforcement or other government agency in the U.S., including the IRS, will ever call you on the phone and threaten you with arrest if you do not immediately send them money, provide them with the number of a gift card, or transfer money into a bitcoin account.
If you receive an unsolicited letter or email requesting you to deposit a check and wire money back to an individual that you did not request or you found the service on the internet and decided to join, be suspicious.
You should be apprehensive of situations where someone overpays you by check and then asks you to wire money or utilize a prepaid card for payment.
Scammers commonly use scare tactics and promote urgency when attempting to defraud others.
Community members should report all crimes and suspicious activity/persons anywhere on campus immediately to the Virginia Tech Police Department at 540-382-4343 or by dialing 911.
Anonymous tips can be reported online at https://police.vt.edu/anonymous.html.
