Another kind of crime has descended on USC.
It ’ s not as physically dangerous or as terrifying as the kinds of crimes that were reported at the beginning of the semester.
Even so, hearing someone supposedly from the IRS tell you that you ’ re going to be arrested unless you pay thousands of dollars in “ taxes ” can give one a good-sized jolt to the nervous system.
According to the USC Division of Law Enforcement and Safety, a person or group of persons purporting to be government officials have been trying to scare students into paying them large cash amounts.
As a kicker, another scammer, this time impersonating a Columbia Police Department officer, calls up the targeted student after the first call and confirms that the “ taxes ” must be paid or the police would arrest them.
While nobody who has received these calls was flustered or confused enough to hand over the money (so far), it ’ s important to recognize that these scammers present a real danger to students.
USCPD urges a number of countermeasures should you get a call from someone purporting to be an IRS agent.
The first is, perhaps, the most obvious. If you can ’ t confirm that someone is an actual IRS official, don ’ t tell him or her your personal, let alone financial, information.
While this may seem like common sense, it ’ s important to remember that if you ’ re panicked, common sense may very well be the first thing that goes out the window. It ’ s important to keep calm.
If you get a number of scam phone calls, USCPD advises students to ask for a callback number, which can be turned over to the police. Submitting logs to USCPD concerning specifics of the calls is also recommended.
Like all crimes, there are concrete steps one can take to help hasten the capture of those responsible.
You need to stay calm. We urge any students, faculty or community members who may receive this kind of harassment to comply with authorities and go through the suggested motions. All it takes, in this instance, is to keep your cool and call the (real) police.