Student Employment Scam Alert - January 17, 2013

Central Washington University Police Department was made aware of a check scam occurring at Universities across the nation. This particular scam involves the suspect listing a job opportunity locally. After applying for the job students are sent an email from the “employer” who claims to be out of the country but will be sending the student a check advance for work such as running errands for the employer until the employer returns home.

A few days later the student gets a package which contains a check. Instructions are given for the student to cash the check, keep a specific amount of money for the work they are to perform and return the remainder of the money to an address outside the United States. THIS IS A SCAM.

Legitimate employers typically do not pay in advance or require you to return money from a check written to you. If you apply for off-campus employment and are told to send any money before your employment can be finalized, it is a scam.

Please contact the Police at (509) 925-8534 if you feel you have been victimized or the target of a scam.

This message has been sent to increase your awareness and required by federal law.

Link to Word Document of Scam Alert: Crime Alert Bulletin

Email & Internet Scam Alerts - March 26, 2012

A old email scam/threat is going around again, and several individuals from CWU have received it. This one is particularly unnerving as it states that a friend has taken a contract out on your life, and that your life will soon end. In reality, it is an attempt to get you to make contact with the sender ... as it is inferred that if you contact them, you might be able to convince them to not execute the contract. Yes ... it's a new low in cyber-crime. Some of the body of the email states that "you have been betrayed by a friend" and "get back to me if you want to live on". In other words, it's an extortion attempt.

The ITS Department has been in contact with Police Services regarding this matter. This scam/threat has been around for a few years and recurs occasionally. The FBI has issued warnings about this in the past. Unfortunately, the emails originate from non-traceable Yahoo accounts that change the user name and use "open/unauthenticated wireless sites" to gain untraceable access to the Internet ... so blocking the originator address in your spam filter will likely do little good, and tracing the user is nearly impossible.

The best advice at this time is: 
1) DO NOT respond to the originator of this (or any such emails) 
2) OPTIONAL: You can report this to the FBI at http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx 
3) Forward the threatening email to the ITS HelpDesk so that we can assess the magnitude of the situation, and review addresses, etc. 
4) Delete the email!

NEW SCAM: Residents of Washington, Michigan, Pennsylvania and other states have reported receiving calls from someone requesting money for 9-1-1 services. The caller claims that residents must pay a fee to register their house in a 911 database so first responders can locate the home in an emergency. The caller also requests names and medical information from the residents. 

This is a scam. 9-1-1 services are funded through dedicated 9-1-1 excise taxes on telephone bills and by other local government funds. 

Any request for 9-1-1 funds over the phone is a fraud. Residents who receive these calls should hang up and report the suspicious call to their local police or sheriff’s non-emergency phone number.  

News Bulletin - Spring Safety- February 16, 2012

Spring is approaching, the weather is improving and the sun is staying out longer. You may find yourself spending more time outdoors and staying out later. The following tips can help you avoid becoming a victim of crime when you are out and about. 

Walking
• Avoid isolated areas 
• Walk with confidence and with another person, if possible 
• Don’t carry a lot of cash or valuables
• Let someone know where you are going/when you will be back 
• Stay alert – Do NOT wear headphones 
• If you suspect you are being followed, cross the street and run to the nearest populated area (business, home, etc.)

Biking or Jogging
• Go with a companion 
• Vary your route
• Avoid isolated areas, especially after dark
• Stay alert – Do NOT wear headphones

If you are feeling uneasy about walking through campus alone after dark, call the CWU Courtesy Assistance Team (CAT) for a walking escort! CAT operates 7 days a week from 7:00 PM until midnight and can be reached by dialing (509) 963-2950.

Crime Alert Bulletin - Campus Fires - February 08, 2012

The CWU Police Department is investigating suspicious fires occurring in the past week near several on-campus residence halls. The CWU Police Department would like to remind everyone to practice proper fire safety procedures and evacuate immediately in the event of a fire alarm. Anyone with information pertaining to these fires is asked to contact the CWU Police Department at 509-963-2959.

Crime Alert Bulletin - Suspicious Person- July 14, 2011

(Word Document)

Early this morning, conference attendees staying in Al-Monty Residence Hall reported hearing noises at their window and seeing a person outside the hall who ran away when confronted. The individual has not been identified or apprehended.

No one was harmed. No windows or locks were broken.  This incident is currently under investigation.

The suspect involved in this incident is described as a white male, approximately 5’8” – 5’9” in height, late teens to early 20s, with dark brown or black hair. The suspect was last seen wearing a black sweater and dark pants. If you believe you have information about this individual, please contact CWU police at 509-925-8534.

The CWU Police Department would like to remind the community of a few safety tips:

• Lock your doors and windows.
• If you are a victim of a crime, call 911 immediately after determining it is safe to do so.
• Be alert to suspicious activities or people.
• Note the location of blue light emergency phones on campus and be cautious staying in well traveled and lighted areas.

This message has been sent to increase your awareness and is required by federal law.

Crime Alert Bulletin - Job offers / Fraudulent Checks - June 21, 2011

(Word Document)

Suspect Description:

None.

On June 21st 2011 Central Washington University Police Department was made aware of a check scam taking place.  Fraudulent employers are sending checks to individuals to have them cash them.  Upon cashing them they are to send an undisclosed amount of the money back to the employer.  After cashing the check it is later discovered that the check is fraudulent leaving the individual to pay for the cashed check out of their own funds.  

This message has been sent to increase your awareness and is required by federal law.

CWU AFFILIATES: The victim is a CWU Student.
INJURIES: None 
STATUS: This incident is currently under investigation.

CWU PD would like to remind the CWU community of a few safety tips:

• If you are a victim of a crime, call 911 immediately after determining it is safe to do so.
• Utilize the Courtesy Assistance Team walking companion program by calling 963-2950
• Be alert to suspicious activities or people.
• Note the location of blue light emergency phones on campus and be cautious staying in well traveled and lighted areas.

Crime Alert Bulletin – Assault and Suspicious Behavior - January 28, 2011

(Word Document)

Suspect Description:

White male 24-25 years of age muscular build with dark “shaggy” hair with scruffy side burns, wearing hooded sweatshirt with unknown design on the front and blue jeans.

In the early morning hours on Friday January 28, 2011 a woman was walking on a pathway near Carmody-Munro and Al-Monty when she was approached and assaulted. She was pulled and punched by a man she did not know. The male told her to come with him and she refused and fended him off. The assault is believed to be sexually motivated. The suspect's identity is not known and he was last seen fleeing the area.

This message has been sent to increase your awareness and is required by federal law.

    CWU AFFILIATES: The victim is a CWU Student.

INJURIES: The victim has a bruised eye and bruised/marked arm.

STATUS: This incident is currently under investigation.

CWU PD would like to remind the CWU community of a few safety tips:

• If you are a victim of a crime, call 911 immediately after determining it is safe to do so.

•  Utilize the Courtesy Assistance Team walking companion program by calling 963-2950

• Be alert to suspicious activities or people.

• Note the location of blue light emergency phones on campus and be cautious staying in well

traveled and lighted areas.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

In compliance with notification provisions of the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998, the Central Washington University Department of Public Safety and Police Services is issuing the following crime alert:

Internet Scams

If you have thought about buying or selling over the internet, here's a warning. Both buyers and sellers need to beware. Fake cashier checks are being used for scams involving Internet purchases.

Here’s how the scam works:

1. The buyer offers to purchase the product being sold, but at the last minute makes up an excuse why he needs to write the check for more money than the cost of the item and asks the seller to wire (Western Union / Money Gram) the excess money back to the buyer.
2. The seller agrees, deposits the check, wires the money and ships the goods or physically gives them to the buyer.
3. A week or so later, the seller's bank tells him the check bounced because it was a fake, so the seller's bank account now owes the bank for the amount, AND the police may arrest the seller (for check fraud, counterfeiting, etc.)

This scam works because most people believe that a cashier's check is as good as cash. That's clearly not true if it is a counterfeit! And with today's computer and printer capabilities, almost anyone can make a very realistic looking fake check. People also don't realize that wired money is immediate and irretrievable. Once you wire the money gram, the money is GONE!

How can you protect yourself against check scams when selling something?

• Call the issuing bank identified on the check, to verify the check is good and for that amount. •
• Don’t give the buyer the sold property, whether it is a car, DVD's/CDs or anything else, until the check has had time to clear. If the buyer wants it immediately, ask for cash or see your bank for other methods, like a wire transfer that can be verified more quickly.

Tips for buyers - Avoiding Internet Auction Frauds

Listed below are tips to protect yourself and your family from various forms of Internet fraud: •

• Determine what method of payment the seller is asking from the buyer and where he/she is asking to send payment
• Determine the method of payment that best protects you ie credit card
• Examine the feedback on the seller
• Learn as much as possible about the seller, especially if the only information you have is an e-mail address. If it is a business, check the Better Business Bureau where the seller/business is located
• Understand as much as possible about how the auction works, what your obligations are as a buyer, and what the seller's obligations are before you bid
• Find out what actions the web site/company takes if a problem occurs and consider insuring the transaction and shipment
• If a problem occurs with the auction transaction, it could be much more difficult if the seller is located outside the US because of the difference in laws
• Ask the seller about when delivery can be expected and if there is a problem with the merchandise is it covered by a warranty or can you exchange it
• Find out if shipping and delivery are included in the auction price or are additional costs so there are no unexpected costs
• There should be no reason to ever give out your social security number or drivers license number to the seller.

If you believe you may have fallen victim to this type of scam and wish to report it, please file an online report with the U.S. government by going to http://www.ic3.gov