Scam alert!
Recently, an individual has been taking advantage of how common banking apps work as part of a scam to pass bad checks.
The individual has been approaching students on the street near the college, claiming to be a Hunter student from out of state who is having a problem with his banking account.
Claiming he must pay the bursar a large sum or be disenrolled, he asks if the student can withdraw cash from their account, which he will cover with a check. He then lets them deposit the check into their account using a smart phone app, which records the check as deposited, and shows the money in the account — but not yet avaiable for withdrawal.
Days later, after the bank figures out the check is bad, that “money” goes away — and the victim loses the money given away.
Protect yourself!
- Never accept or deposit checks from strangers or unknown sources.
- Never give money to cover a check from strangers or unknown sources.
- Never communicate with strangers about your personal information, bank accounts, finances, etc.
- Report any unusual incidents to Hunter College Public Safety and to your local NYPD Precinct immediately.
By staying informed and cautious, you can avoid falling victim to scams.
