Purdue police: Beware of phone scam asking for Boilermaker's bail money
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind – Boilermaker parents, if you get a call purportedly from Purdue police demanding bail money for your child, don't buy it.
At least not on its surface, the university warns.
Purdue University police recently alerted the Boilermaker community about a phone scam targeting the parents and family members of students.
On April 26, according to a release, Purdue police received several calls from families saying they had received calls from someone claiming to be with the university police department and requesting money for bail.
The caller, according to the release, requested banking information after stating the student had been arrested and needed bail money. The family member was also told there could be no communication with the student until the bail was paid.
"Vishing" is a type of scam using fraudulent phone calls or messages appearing to be from a legitimate sources, the university added.
"(Purdue police) stresses it will never request payment of any kind over the phone," the release stated.
Tips if you receive a suspicious phone call or message:
∎ Ask for the caller’s name or employee number and call the organization back using the telephone number listed on billing statements or other official sources, not the number provided by the caller or caller ID. Vishing attacks often use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which allows caller identification to be easily spoofed.
∎ Think once, twice and maybe three times about providing personal or financial information over the phone, especially if you did not initiate the call.
∎ If someone claims you owe a debt, both state and federal laws give you certain rights, including the right to receive written verification.
∎ Keep in mind that you probably aren’t going to win a prize if you did not enter a contest. If a call sounds too good to be true, it most likely is.
∎ Remember, law enforcement agencies don’t collect fines over the phone, nor would law enforcement contact citizens by telephone and ask for personal information relating to taxes or debt. Likewise, the Internal Revenue Service, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Social Security Administration will not call you to update your information or give you a new card.
-- The above tips are quoted directly from Purdue Information Technology in the release.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue police: Beware of phone scam asking for Boilermaker's bail money
