Police warn students of bank scammers
University Police issued an alert Wednesday advising students of two suspects who solicited access to student bank accounts.
UP Public Information Officer Lt. Charlotte Domingo said the suspects approached students claiming to need help cashing a check because they had no access to a personal bank account.
The suspects would ask to use the student’s account to deposit the fraudulent check and withdraw the supposed amount, resulting in a loss for the victim.
“There’s no legitimate reason for somebody to ask you to make a deposit into your account and then withdraw money back out,” Domingo said. “That’s a real red flag of fraud.”
The first report was received May 2, and the second report was received Wednesday morning. Domingo said a third report might also relate to the suspects.
A press release sent out by Domingo stated one suspect is a black male last seen driving a red Mazda SUV, and the other suspect is a black female last seen driving a white SUV. It is unknown whether the two suspects are associated.
The suspects also offered students a ride in their car, police said.
“Be aware of your surroundings, use good personal safety,” Domingo said. “If anyone approaches, don’t get in the car with them, back out of the situation to a place of safety, call 911 and let us know.”
— Staff report
More Stories
USF won’t install more physical protections following recent on-campus suicide
USF will not be implementing additional physical safety measures over a month after a student leapt from an upper floor inside the Interdisciplinary Sciences building, USF spokeswoman Althea Johnson said. The incident marked the third on-campus suicide since fall 2022. A week after a student fell from an upper floor of Beard Garage in 2022, […]
Meet USF’s new student body president and vice president
A new era of Student Government (SG) just arrived. In a quick five-minute ceremony, student body president-elect Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and vice president-elect Sumit Subhash Jadhav were sworn in on Wednesday afternoon. Their term will start on May 6 and last for one year. Related: Take a look at USF’s student leaders’ swearing in ceremony […]
Photos: Take a look at USF’s student leaders’ swearing in ceremony
A new era of Student Government (SG) just arrived. In a quick five-minute ceremony, student body president-elect Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and vice president-elect Sumit Subhash Jadhav were sworn in on Wednesday afternoon. Related: USF student body president and vice president-elect sworn in Their term will start on May 6 and last for one year. Gabrielle […]
President Joe Biden visits Tampa to talk abortion rights
Gearing up for the 2024 presidential election, President Joe Biden made a stop in Tampa to talk about reproductive freedom in Florida on Tuesday afternoon. The speech comes just two weeks before the state’s six-week abortion ban comes into effect on May 1. Biden called on Floridians to vote for an amendment deciding abortion access […]
‘Genocide Joe has got to go’: Pro-Palestine protestors gather during Biden’s visit to Tampa
While President Joe Biden took 15 minutes to talk on the protection of reproductive rights in Tampa on Tuesday, pro-Palestine protests chanted against the United States handling “on-going genocide” in Gaza, and its alliance to Israel in the conflict. Related: President Joe Biden visits Tampa to talk abortion rights “The lack of coverage in the media […]
USF students can ‘Swap Shop’ their way into free items this week
USF’s Swap Shop is just around the corner. Literally. Bulls can stop by the Swap Shop, located in Holly J, to pick up some free items – from furniture to clothing. Students, staff and faculty had the opportunity to donate items for the Swap Shop earlier this week on Monday and Tuesday. But ‘shopping’ won’t […]