Date: 12/21/2023
To: The NYU Community
From: NYU Department of Campus Safety
Re: Safety Advisory - Check Cashing Scam
The Department of Campus Safety has recently received reports of a check cashing scam being conducted on the sidewalk in areas near NYU buildings in Manhattan. After a careful review of multiple reports, Campus Safety believes one individual may be responsible for most of the scams and a photo array of the individual is below.
The scam works like this:
- The individual poses as an NYU student, and says they need to cash a scholarship check to remain in good standing with the University.
- The individual asks someone to deposit the check and follows them to a local bank. After receiving the funds in cash, the individual lets the person who cashed the check keep a small amount.
- The check eventually bounces, leaving the person who cashed it responsible for a negative balance in their account.
- Checks provided by this individual may bear some NYU branding elements–-though none are official and all of the checks are made in the amount of $980.00 or $980.25.
Be wary of anyone you don’t know asking you to become involved in a banking transaction, particularly involving handing over cash.
Campus Safety has notified local law enforcement regarding this scheme. If you see this individual, or are asked by someone on the street to cash a check made out for the above amounts, please do not engage and contact 911 and then Campus Safety at 212.998.2222.
If you feel you may have been the victim of a similar scam, please contact Campus Safety.
Description of Suspect: The individual is described as medium-complected and male-presenting with a slim build. The individual has been observed on multiple occasions: once wearing a dark NYU-branded hoodie and camouflage print skull cap, white face covering, and brown pants; a second time, he was seen wearing a black tan fur hooded knee length Canada Goose coat in addition to a camo print skull cap, orange face covering, black gloves, dark blue jeans, and black sneakers.
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