HARTFORD, Conn. — Scammers are telling the families of Connecticut college athletes that they must make immediate payments to get their children out of trouble.
The state’s Department of Consumer Protection and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection have issued a warning, as police departments at state universities investigate incidents where scammers call parents, identifying themselves as members of the university’s police department.
The caller claims that the student athlete has received citations for open container, curfew violations and/or trespassing and that the parents must make online payments in the form of CashApp, Venmo or JPay.
The DCP and the DESPP have made it clear that a police department or campus safety program will never contact a parent or guardian and attempt to solicit payment for citations.
“This is a classic scam, targeting individuals and their families, whose information is publicly available, and creating a sense of urgency to provide immediate payment by impersonating a government agency and issuing a threat of severe penalties if payment is not received,” DCP Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli said.
Cafferelli reaffirmed that at no point will a police department or law enforcement agency pressure an individual into paying a citation through an untraceable, online payment method.
If anyone receives a suspicious call or communication claiming to be a law enforcement agency, hang up and contact your local police department to report the scam. Contact your financial institution immediately if you fall victim to this scam and have provided personal information or money to a scammer.
“At DESPP, the Connecticut Intelligence Center tracks criminal trends and tactics and disseminates information to law enforcement and other public safety partners to help enhance the safety and security of our communities,” Deputy DESPP Commissioner Brenda Bergeron said.
Bergeron, who oversees the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, noted that the department will continue to collaborate with DCP and campus police to track scams and criminal activity, as they attempt to ensure no one else becomes a victim.
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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