Scam Phone Calls Targeting U Of M Students, Asking For Money
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – University of Minnesota police say there has recently been a string of scam phone calls targeting students, asking them to pay legal fees or overdue taxes.
According to the university, the caller will identify themselves as a police officer, or FBI agent, and tell the potential victim they have overdue legal fees.
The caller will then claim the fines need to be paid over the phone and ask for credit card information.
The calls have also claimed students owe tax money to the state and will lose their admission to the university if they do not pay it. They then give the potential victim instructions on where to drop off the money.
The calls show up as a UMPD phone number as a way to hide the origin of the call.
According to the university the caller has been targeting international students.
The university says the UMPD does not collect fines over the phone.
Additionally, the state of Minnesota does not handle tax matters over the phone.
Those students who receive a call should not provide any personal information or credit card information, and are instructed to call the University of Minnesota Police at 612-624-2677.