Public Safety Advisory: Ohio Wesleyan students are cautioned to be on alert for a phone scam that uses an FBI telephone number and threatens to arrest students if they fail to pay thousands of dollars.
At least one Ohio Wesleyan student has reported receiving multiple calls related to the scam. According to the FBI, the fake calls come from someone who claims to represent the U.S. government and who claims the students owe money for reasons that may range from student loans to delinquent taxes to overdue parking tickets.
In an attempt to obtain personal information from students, the caller claims to have specific information already. In the case of the Ohio Wesleyan student, the caller provided information, possibly procured from social media, about when the student would graduate, where the student worked on campus, where the student was from, etc. In the OWU case, the call showed up as coming from the FBI’s Akron, Ohio, office.
In some cases, the FBI states, the fraudsters have directed potential victims to an FBI webpage online, claiming the students can “verify” the caller ID phone number in an attempt to keep them on the phone and legitimize the scam.
Students are reminded that the FBI does not call private citizens requesting money. If you receive such calls, do not follow the caller’s instructions. Instead, you should:
- Disconnect immediately.
- Notify your banking institutions.
- Contact the three major credit bureaus and request an alert be put on your file.
- Contact your local law enforcement agencies if you feel you are in immediate danger.
- File a complaint through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact the OWU Department of Public Safety at (740) 368-2222. Thank you.
Robert A. Wood
Director of Public Safety
Ohio Wesleyan University