A fake caller ID associated with the CSU and Fort Collins Police Departments has been used by scammers in the Larimer County area, according to a press release from the public safety team.

According to the press release, scams have recently been coming from Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.

Local police have received reports that the scam has used the University’s online directory, and perhaps social media, to find personal information and phone numbers of the individuals that were contacted.

According to the press release, the caller may demand money while claiming to be affiliated with a local police department. Past calls have threatened to suspend students or arrest the individuals on the other line.

Almost all attempts to solicit payment using PayPal, MoneyGram or Western Union over the phone are fraudulent, according to CSUPD. They do not recommend that personal or financial information be shared over the phone, even if the caller sounds legitimate.
If someone who claims to be associated with the IRS or a law enforcement agency calls demanding money, CSUPD said to hang up and verify the information with a local law enforcement agency.

The CSUPD recommends that these calls be reported to the Federal Trade Commission or to call the US Treasury Inspector General at 1-800-359-3898 if the call involved accusations regarding taxes and IRS affiliations.

If you have been a victim of a recent fraud by provided financial information to a caller, contact CSUPD at 970-491-6425.

For more on how to remove information from the University’s online directory, visit this link and view information under “What about Privacy?” For additional information about phone scams, visit this link.

Collegian Assistant News Editor Christina Vessa can be reached online at news@collegian.com or on Twitter at @chrissyvessa.