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FBI taking action to protect ODU students from phone scam

Posted at 5:18 PM, Oct 13, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-13 17:23:13-04

Norfolk, Va. - The Norfolk FBI division is taking action by warning Old Dominion University students about a popular phone scam.

It's a precaution due to the colleges and universities throughout the country that have been receiving calls from fake "FBI" numbers.

Students received an alter on their phones last night warning them about scammers demanding money from college students.

The scam involves someone claiming to represent the U.S. government. The caller says that students will be arrested if they don't pay thousands of dollars for debts ranging from student loans to overdue parking tickets.

"A lot of us are like hundreds and thousands of dollars in debt from going to college and paying for books and everything. I think the fact that they're trying to get more money from us and more into debt is not okay," a student said.

The scammers have rigged their phone number to show up as the local FBI branch on caller ID, then they claim to know personal information about the student.

"I'll definitely use extra precaution and will not answer the phone when the FBI calls," another ODU student said.

The FBI says they would never call someone demanding money.