As a member of the Georgia Tech community, we would like to encourage you to become familiar with fraud prevention resources available to you- either proactively, or in the event that you become a victim.
Individuals posing as local, state, or federal law enforcement or regulatory agencies often contact unsuspecting victims, claiming the victim owes taxes or that there is a warrant for their arrest. If you receive a phone call like this, especially if the caller is asking for payment in gift cards, Just Hang Up. Government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will only contact individuals through the mail.
Before you provide anyone financial or personal information, hang up and locate the phone number for that agency. Then return the call, knowing you are communicating with the actual agency. This is vital as many phishing schemes utilize official numbers in an attempt to appear official- caller ID can often be "tricked" into displaying a false number.
Useful Links
- Annual Credit Report - Federal law allows for one free credit report every twelve (12) months
- 10 Things You Can Do to Avoid Fraud
Credit Bureaus (to check for unusual credit activity- sometimes an indicator of fraud)
Important agencies to contact if you believe you have become a victim
- Buzzcard Center (if your Buzzcard has been lost/stolen)
- Department of Driver Services or Department of Motor Vehicles for your home state
- Your own personal financial institutions
- Federal Trade Commission
- Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Social Security Administration (SSA)