Fraud Alert: Scam Targeting FSU Community

This message to all students, faculty and staff has been approved by Chief Terri Brown, Chief of Police.

Please be on alert for different forms of fraud targeting FSU students, faculty and staff. Email scams, fraudulent checks, phone scams, etc. targeting FSU students, faculty and staff have surfaced over recent days. These scams promise high-paying part-time jobs, they ask for money in exchange for worthless checks, etc., and have resulted in the loss of thousands of dollars.

If you receive a suspicious email, do not click the links and immediately forward it to ITS-Abuse@fsu.edu.

If you receive suspicious checks, do not attempt to deposit these checks and immediately bring them to FSUPD.

Be a skeptical email user. Be alert. Be savvy. Be aware.


When someone asks for money, it’s important to take note of not just the story they tell, but also how they ask you to pay. If they ask you to pay by wiring them money, getting iTunes cards, or putting money on a MoneyPak, Vanilla Reload, or Reloadit card, it’s a scam.

If someone calls you demanding money from a legitimate company, disconnect the call and call the company directly. Use a number you know to be correct and not a number received in an email or text. Tell the company about the phone call or message received and check for legitimacy.

Local, state, and federal agencies, including law enforcement agencies, will never contact you requesting money, gift cards, or other forms of payment over the telephone. If you receive this call, hang up! If you need to verify its validity, please call the agency directly.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

For tips on how to prevent from falling victim to fraud, visit the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information website at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/.