**UPDATE** 09/18/2020

Thank you all for your help. The persons of interest in this case have been identified. Case remains under investigation.

                                                                                                        ###

Person of Interest #1

Person of Interest #2

INCIDENT:    Multiple Incidents of Fraud (scams) 

OCCURRED: Between July 8, 2020 and August 27, 2020 

LOCATION: College Park, Maryland

UMPD CASES #: 2020-56145, 2020-59661, 2020-59771, and 2020-59800

BRIEF DETAILS:

We write to you today to make you aware of multiple incidents of fraud (scams) that have been reported in our area.

Over the past two weeks, we have received four reports of fraud (scams). The victims in these cases are University Affiliated and were either contacted by email or by phone. In each case, the caller was pretending to be from a Government Agency, an Employer, an Electronic Company, and Law Enforcement/Immigration. The scammers made false accusations paired with fear tactics to convince the victims to buy gift cards and/or bitcoins as payment in order to avoid any further action taken against them. 

Scammers will use different methods to contact a potential victim. The scammer may call, email, text message or even approach the potential victim in person. The goal of the scammer is to make up false accusations along with fear tactics or even pity to try to convince the potential victim to comply with the scammer’s demands. The scammer will often remain on the phone with the victim until they receive the gift card number and pin. Once they have that information, there is little chance a victim could get their money back. 

However, there could be a chance that you could recover your money back by calling the company immediately after a scammer is paid. To learn more, click here. But remember, gift cards are for gifts (birthdays, holidays, etc.), not payments. Anyone who demands payment by gift card is a scammer. Scammers will also sometimes use multiple numbers and multiple people to contact victims to legitimize their fraudulent claims.

Here are some examples of various scams:

• If someone you don’t know mails you a check or approaches you in person and asks you to cash a check for them — don’t. It’s a scam.
• If someone you don’t know asks you to cash a check and use a wire transfer service to send the money back to them after cashing the check for them — don’t. It’s a scam.
• You receive a call or email from a scammer claiming to be from a government agency (federal, state, or local) and you need to make a payment in order to avoid being jailed, deported, fined, or that you owe taxes — don't it's a scam.
• You receive a call or email form a scammer that a family member is in need of help or has been kidnapped and demands gift cards in the form of payment — don’t. It’s a scam.
• You receive a call or email from tech-support and they demand gift cards in the form of payment — don’t. It’s a scam.
• If you receive an e-mail/text message from a known individual asking you to send them money, verify with that person first before sending them money.  It could be a scam.

If you believe you are a victim of a scam, contact UMPD to file a report at 301-405-3555. You may also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint, or call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP.  

Below are some resources and videos from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Please take a moment to review this helpful information and learn how you can STOP scams in their tracks! 

• Scammers Demanding Gift Cards     
• Paying Scammers with Gift Cards
• Scammers go after international students’ money
• Asked to Pay by Gift Card? Don’t.
• Report Gift Cards Used in a Scam (video)
• Anatomy of a Fake Check Scam
• The IRS is Calling Me? Is This for Real? (video)
• Government Imposter Scams

Safety Tips:

• Don’t not give out Personal Identifying Information (PII), such as Social Security Number, government issued photo or selfies to scammers. They can use this information to steal your identity and open accounts in your name. Never provide PII to someone you don’t know.
• Gift cards are for gifts, NOT payments.
• The IRS will never call to demand payment, such as prepaid debt cards, gift cards, wire transfer or bitcoin. Neither will Law Enforcement/Immigration. The IRS will first contact you via the mail with a bill to any taxpayer that owes taxes.
• If you find yourself on the phone with a scammer, hang up. If you received an email, don’t respond. Report the email as spam. 

Safety Resources:

University of Maryland Police Department

Emergency Number 301-405-3333/ #3333 from a mobile phone/ 911

Prince George's County Police Department

911 from mobile phone / 301-352-1200 (non-emergency) / 911

UMD Police Walking Escort

Non-Emergency: 301-405-3555

DOTS-NITE Ride

301-314-6483

http://www.transportation.umd.edu/niteride.html

Help Center (Peer Counseling & Crisis Intervention)

301-314-4357

https://helpcenterumd.org/

Counseling Center

301-314-7651

http://counseling.umd.edu/

Campus Advocates Respond and Educate to Stop Violence (CARE)

301-741-3442

http://www.health.umd.edu/care 

Health Center

301-314-8180

http://www.health.umd.edu/

Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct (OCRSM)

301-405-1142  

TitleIXcoordinator@umd.edu

https://ocrsm.umd.edu/

UMD Alerts 

https://alert.umd.edu

Sent by email via UMD Alerts to UMD Students/Faculty/Staff

**Community Notice**

The purpose of this e-mail is to make you aware of an incident that occurred off-campus near the University of Maryland, College Park campus. The following is a synopsis of an incident reported to the Prince George's County Police Department.

INCIDENT:                Off-Campus Commercial Robbery with a Weapon

OCCURRED:             May 29, 2020 / Approximately 11:48 a.m.

LOCATION:              4700 block of Melbourne Place (near Baltimore Avenue), College Park, Maryland

PGPD CASE #:           PP20052900000753

BRIEF DETAILS:

On May 29, 2020, at approximately 12:31 p.m., the University of Maryland Police Department was notified of an off campus incident that occurred at approximately 11:48 a.m., today.

The Prince George's County Police Department responded to the 4700 block of Melbourne Place (near Baltimore Ave) for a commercial robbery with a weapon. Two male suspects entered the establishment, produced a handgun and demanded property. The suspects then entered a white SUV and left, traveling south on Baltimore Avenue. 

A video review of the cameras in the area is underway. The Prince George's County Police Department is investigating this incident. 

Individuals with any information regarding this incident or the possible identity of suspect are encouraged to contact the Prince George’s County Police Department (911 or 301-352-1200).

Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411 TIPS (8477) or text "PGPD plus your message" to CRIMES (274637) on your cell phone or go to www.pgpolice.org and submit a tip online. Email address is: pgcrimesolvers@co.pg.md.us.

When available for release, additional information, including updated descriptions of suspect, may be obtained by accessing the "UMD Safety Notice" portion of our web site: http://universityofmarylandpolice.com/stats/safety_notices.cfm  and http://umpdnews.umd.edu/

Safety Tips:

The University of Maryland Police Department provides a walking escort service for anyone who feels unsafe when walking on or near campus. If you would like a walking escort, please call to request one at 301-405-3555. You may also use a blue light emergency phone to call for an escort.

Stay alert and attuned to people and circumstances around you.

Trust your instincts. They are a natural gift that tells you when something is wrong.

If you observe suspicious activity or behavior, contact the police immediately by calling #3333 from a mobile phone or 301-405-3333.

See Something, Say Something!

Be Smart, Be Safe!

Download the UMD Guardian app through the Google Play store or the Apple App Store. You can create a virtual safety escort or you can text a tip to UMPD.
 

Safety Resources:

University of Maryland Police Department

Emergency Number 301-405-3333/ #3333 from a mobile phone/ 911

UMD Guardian (Mobile Campus Safety App)

Download the UMD Guardian app through the Google Play store or the Apple App Store. You can create a virtual safety escort or you can text a tip to UMPD.

Prince George's County Police Department

911 from mobile phone / 301-352-1200 (non-emergency) / 911

UMD Police Walking Escort

The University of Maryland Police Department provides a walking escort service for anyone who feels unsafe when walking on or near campus. If you would like a walking escort, please call to request one at 301-405-3555. You may also use a blue light emergency phone to call for an escort.

NITE Ride

301-314-6483

http://www.transportation.umd.edu/niteride.html

Help Center (Peer Counseling & Crisis Intervention)

301-314-4357

http://www.umdhelpcenter.org/

Counseling Center

301-314-7651

http://counseling.umd.edu/

CARE (Confidential Services for Sexual Assault/Harassment/Rape)

301-741-3442

http://www.health.umd.edu/care

Health Center

301-314-8180

http://www.health.umd.edu/

Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct

301-405-1142 

TitleIXcoordinator@umd.edu

http://www.umd.edu/ocrsm/

UMD Alerts

https://alert.umd.edu

Sent by email via UMD Alerts to UMD Students/Faculty/Staff