Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
Fall is here and we have many exciting events happening on campus in the coming weeks. All of us at the Department of Public Safety (DPS) appreciate our community’s focus on safety.
In this monthly update there are a few items I want to touch upon:
- Scam Awareness
- Community Events
- Employee of the Month
- Monthly Bias Update
Scam Awareness
Across the country, there has been an increase in scams of all kinds. DPS and Information Technology Services (ITS) want to help the Orange community be aware of scams to look out for this year, and measures our students, faculty and staff can take to avoid being a victim.
Scams to Be Aware of in 2024
- Textbook and laptop shopping scams: Be cautious when you search for cheaper alternatives online. Make certain the website you are visiting is legitimate.
- Scholarship scams: Cybercriminals are known to imitate banks, government agencies and other lenders to target students to steal their personal and financial information. Verify the opportunity by visiting the scholarship program’s website.
- Tech support scams: Fraudsters will mimic a school computer support technician and commonly say they need to install educational software and ask students to click on a pop-up window to give them access to their personal device.
- Fake job offers: Criminals pose as recruiters and reach out directly to targets, often over text message. Scammers will ask for information that is not typically required in a job application, like your bank account number and/or other sensitive information.
- Sextortion Scam Emails: The scammer will often demand payment, typically in cryptocurrency, in exchange for not releasing intimate or compromising information about you. To make their threats seem more real, they might include personal details such as your phone number, address or even the names of friends or family members. It is important to understand that bad actors often collect this information from publicly available sources without an actual breach of your accounts or devices.
Measures You Can Take to Avoid Being Scammed:
- Do online searches: Look for reviews, complaints or similar scams.
- Do NOT believe your caller ID: Scammers are able to manipulate the number reported.
- Do NOT pay upfront for a promise of future income.
- Ask questions to flush out whether the caller is legitimate (e.g., if they claim to be calling from the Internal Revenue Service or Social Security Administration, ask them to tell you your Social Security number or Visa number, or ask for a call back number you can then research).
- Hang up on robocalls.
- Do NOT deposit a check and wire money back to the individual who sent you the check.
- Never give someone your login or PIN information for any accounts and use two-factor authentication wherever possible.
Additional information on how to stay safe from scams and what to do if you become a victim can be found on the FBI website.
Have questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to DPS at dpsadmin@syr.edu or ITS at help@syr.edu.
Community Events
Halloween Safety Station
Our safety station is back and just in time for Halloween! Come see us outside of Lyons Hall, 401 Euclid Ave., on Friday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 p.m. to midnight. We will be providing snacks and reminding students of important safety tips and answering any questions they may have. Please feel free to stop by and say hello to those stationed at the table!
DPS Game Nights
Join members of DPS for a PS5 and Oculus VR game night on the big screen in the Schine Student Center! Play against your friends or take on some of our DPS staff in your favorite games.
DPS Game Nights will take place on Thursday, Oct. 3 and 19, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Coffee With a Cop Day
Coffee With a Cop Day brought new and familiar faces to Sims Hall yesterday. DPS set up outside Sims Hall and greeted students, faculty and staff with coffee, hot chocolate and tea. The event was a great way for our community to meet with members of DPS and ask any questions they might have had!
Open House at Marshall Street
The weekend of September 27 was a busy weekend across campus thanks to Family Weekend. To join in on the festivities, DPS held an Open House at our Marshall Street Substation. We welcomed the Syracuse University community, their family and friends and reminded them that our substation is a safe place to:
- report any incidents or suspicious activity;
- access important safety strategies and resources; and
- get to know the DPS staff that is on-hand to assist them.
For hours of operation, visit our website.
Employee of the Month
I am pleased to share that Officer Thomas Bingham, Officer Kara Salce and Officer Pised Yoeun have been selected as our September 2024 Employees of the Month!
Officer Bingham helped provide medical care to a non-affiliate of the University until he could be transported to the hospital. Officer Salce constantly volunteers for extra duties in the community, all while maintaining a positive attitude! Meanwhile, thanks to his self-initiated walkthrough and attention to detail, Officer Yoeun prevented a possible crime from happening on campus by removing a non-affiliate of the University.
Congratulations on a job well done!
Bias Incidents
Sept. 22: A resident advisor reported the discovery of racist graffiti that was found written on a soap dispenser in a bathroom in Watson Hall. The dispenser was replaced.
Update: DPS met with the resident assistant who discovered the racist graffiti and inspected the impacted space in Watson Hall. Due to the incident occurring in a restroom, there is no reliable video footage or direct witness accounts. We ask that anyone who may have information about this incident contact us immediately.
It is also never too late to come forward with information. You can call DPS at 315.443.2224 or submit information anonymously via the Silent Witness tool. In addition, to report a bias incident or to receive support, visit the STOP Bias and Hate website.
Go Orange!
Chief Craig Stone
Department of Public Safety