Community Alert 10/27/17

The Stanford University Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) has received several reports of Caller ID Fraud (aka, “Spoofing”) over the past two days. In at least one instance, the University’s main number was spoofed. In two of the instances, the phone number for SUDPS was spoofed. One caller was told there was an outstanding warrant for her arrest.


As described on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) website (www.fcc.gov), “spoofing” is a situation in which “a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity. Spoofing is often used as part of an attempt to trick someone into giving away valuable personal information so it can be used in fraudulent activity or sold illegally.”


Spoofing is illegal when there is an intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value.


To avoid becoming a victim, we recommend the following when you receive a call that is suspicious as to what is being said or requested of you:


• Do NOT provide personal information such as credit card or financial institution account numbers, Social Security numbers, Mother’s maiden names, passwords, or other identifying information in response to unexpected calls or if you are at all suspicious. The caller may also try to pressure you to provide your information.


• If the caller says he/she represents a company or agency, such as SUDPS, and requests personal information or uses a ruse similar to the first incident above, hang up and dial the phone number on your account statement or listed on the website for the company or agency to verify the authenticity of the call and caller. The phone number and website for SUDPS is:
(650) 723-9633 / police.stanford.edu.


If you receive a call that is suspicious or that you believe to be an attempt to defraud using a spoofed phone number, please do not hesitate to contact the SUDPS.



This crime alert is being sent to you in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act.