Situational awareness: Scam alert

From: Virginia Tech Police Department

The Virginia Tech Police Department has received multiple reports of fraud. Students have reported viewing an opportunity for a Research Assistant Position on a VT Class of 2025 and VT Class of 2026 social media groups. In the reported scams, students were contacted by someone claiming to be an affiliated professor with Virginia Tech while utilizing a university-affiliated email address. Within those correspondences, it is advised that a department is offering a position for students to work remotely and be paid weekly. The student is advised to research and purchase various office supplies, in which reimbursement is promised by check. The 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 police.vt.edu/scam-alerts and police.vt.edu/safety-security/safety-tips/socialmediascams.  Additional information regarding this particular scam can be found at vtx.vt.edu/notices/itso-email-phishing-scam-alert.

You should never give out personal identifying information over the telephone, by text, or email, to anyone demanding money or financial compensation.

You should be apprehensive of situations where someone overpays you by check and then asks you to wire money or utilize a prepaid card or visit a bitcoin ATM for payment.

You should be suspicious 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 and have not met personally.

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.

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 police.vt.edu/anonymous.