Greg's Corner

College athletes targeted in sophisticated scam

By Greg Collier

Connecticut’s state authorities are issuing a stern warning about a disturbing new trend targeting college athletes and their families. According to authorities, scammers are exploiting publicly available information to dupe unsuspecting individuals into making immediate payments under false pretenses, creating a sense of urgency and panic in the process.

Reports from Connecticut State University Police Departments have revealed a troubling pattern. The callers, posing as university police officers, contact parents of university students, specifically targeting student-athletes. They claim that the student-athlete has been slapped with citations for various infractions like open container violations, curfew breaches, or trespassing. To compound the urgency, the scammer demands immediate payment through platforms like CashApp and Venmo.

If this scam rings a bell, it’s because it bears striking resemblances to both the grandparent scam and the virtual kidnapping scam, sprinkled with elements of police impersonation. It’s now known more commonly as the family emergency scam.

It’s a chilling reminder that scammers stop at nothing to manipulate emotions and coerce victims into compliance. The tactic of impersonating law enforcement adds an extra layer of credibility and intimidation, leaving victims feeling cornered and compelled to act swiftly.

The State of Connecticut has issued a statement that said, a legitimate police department or campus safety program will never solicit payment for citations over the phone.

Although this version of the scam is aimed at student-athletes, previous iterations have targeted the families of college students who aren’t involved in athletics. Essentially, any parent with a child attending college could potentially fall victim to this scam.

Individuals who receive suspicious calls or communications purporting to be from law enforcement are urged to hang up immediately and report the incident to local police. Furthermore, those who have fallen victim to this scam are advised to take swift action by contacting their financial institutions to mitigate potential damages.