Telephone and Internet Scams

Telephone and internet scams are unfortunately all too common – and college students are frequently among the most targeted. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Americans reported losses exceeding $16 billion in 2024 alone, a 33% increase from the prior year, with phishing and spoofing ranking among the top three reported cybercrimes (FBI IC3, 2024). A Pew Research Center survey found that 73% of U.S. adults have experienced some form of online scam or attack, and younger adults ages 18–29 are slightly more likely than older Americans to report losing money to these schemes (Pew Research Center, 2025).

Scammers are sophisticated, persistent, and constantly evolving their tactics. Knowing what to look for is your best defense. Below are some of the most common scams reported on college campuses and how to protect yourself.

Red Flags to Watch For

• An Official Demanding Money
  No legitimate government official – including police officers, immigration agents, tax representatives, or court officials – will ever demand money from you by phone or online. Impersonation scams, in which criminals pose as government agencies or law enforcement, were the #1 fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for the ninth year in a row, with people losing nearly $3 billion to impersonators in 2024 (FTC, 2025). If someone calls claiming to be from a government agency and demands payment, hang up immediately. It is a scam.
   
• Job Scams and Fake Check Fraud
  Scammers frequently target college students searching for flexible, part-time, or remote work. They post fake job listings on popular job sites, social media, and sometimes even official university job boards. Once you "apply," they quickly hire you and send you a check – often for far more than expected – and instruct you to deposit it and send a portion of the money to a third party.
  The check will initially appear to clear in your bank account, but it is counterfeit. When your bank discovers the fraud – which can take days or weeks – you will be held responsible for the full amount, including any funds you already sent to the scammer.
  
  Protect yourself:
  • Never deposit a check from an unknown employer and send money elsewhere — this is always a scam.
  • Research any employer independently before accepting a job offer.
  • If a job listing originates from a university email or department, contact that office directly to verify its legitimacy.
  • Report job scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
        
• Threatening Arrest or Deportation
  If you receive a call or email threatening that you will be arrested, deported, or face legal action unless you pay money immediately, it is a scam. Scammers often target international students with these tactics, knowing that fear of legal consequences can lead to quick compliance. Real law enforcement and immigration authorities do not operate this way. Never send money in response to a threat made by phone or email.
   
• Demanding Gift Cards or Money Transfers
  A common tactic used by scammers is to demand payment in the form of gift cards – iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, or others – or through money transfer apps. No legitimate business, government agency, or law enforcement entity will ever ask you to pay using gift cards. If anyone makes this request, regardless of the story they tell, it is a scam. Hang up or stop responding immediately.
   
• "Spoofed" Phone Numbers
  Number spoofing allows scammers to make your caller ID display any phone number they choose – including the real numbers of police departments, government agencies, banks, or even Penn State offices. Caller ID cannot be trusted as a reliable indicator of who is actually calling. If you receive an unexpected call from a number that appears to belong to a government agency or official institution, and the caller is requesting money or personal information, hang up. If you are unsure, independently look up the organization's official number and call back directly.
   
• Intimate Photo Scams (Sextortion) 
  If you are chatting online with someone you do not know well, do not share sensitive or intimate photos of yourself. Sextortion – in which scammers demand money in exchange for not releasing private images – is a rapidly growing crime. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 26,718 reports of financial sextortion in 2023, up from 10,731 in 2022 (NCMEC, 2024). University Police and Public Safety receives multiple reports of this type of scam each year at Penn State.
  
  If this happens to you, do not pay. Paying rarely stops the demands and often makes the situation worse. Contact University Police and Public Safety immediately at 814-863-1111.

Additional Scam Warning Signs

Be alert to the following general red flags regardless of the type of scam:

• Urgent pressure to act immediately
• Requests for personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank account details
• Poor grammar or spelling in emails or messages
• Offers that sound too good to be true
• Requests for unusual forms of payment

If You Believe You Have Been Scammed

If you think you have been the victim of an online scam:

1. Contact University Police and Public Safety at 814-863-1111 or visit our office at USB 1.
2. Report it to the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov.
3. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
4. Contact your bank immediately if money has been transferred.

Free Safety Training from UPPS

University Police and Public Safety's Community Oriented Policing (COP) Unit offers safety education programs at no-cost to University work units and student groups.

Our "Scamming and Phishing Safety" program provides:

• An overview of common scam and phishing schemes
• Practical tips to avoid becoming a victim
• Information on available support resources

To learn more or to request a training for your group or department, visit our Community Oriented Policing page.