Scammers have been targeting Wisconsin students, using technology that spoofs the FBI Wisconsin office’s phone number on caller IDs.
There have been multiple reports of a scam where someone claims to be an FBI agent, who demands repayment for tuition and student loans. The caller often knows the intended victim’s name and may call a cell phone or work number. The caller may threaten to arrest the victim if the fees are not paid through a third-party platform.
The FBI never calls private citizens requesting money.
To protect against fraud, the FBI suggests never to give personal information to strangers, to check information-sharing policies before signing up for contests and email lists and to independently research any offers you receive.
Students can file complaints through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
