Scammer posing as Pittsburgh police targeting CMU students

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh police are warning Carnegie Mellon University students about a phone scam that’s targeting students with calls that appear to come from Pittsburgh police headquarters.

Several CMU students who spoke with Channel 11 on Friday said they haven’t even heard of the scam and don’t believe they would even fall for it.

“I can imagine a situation like that occurring, so having it happen to me, I just wouldn't believe that,” said CMU student Jeff Mich.

Since Tuesday, police said three students at CMU have received calls on their cell phone from someone posing as a city police officer. Authorities said the students were not on campus, but rather at home in the Shadyside area, when the calls were made.

Police said during the phone call, the bogus officer said that the students were either under investigation, owed back taxes or involved in a lawsuit. In each case, the caller told the students they had to pay a fine or go to jail.

Aside from CMU students, more than 100 people who live in Pittsburgh have reported getting these bogus phone calls since October.

Authorities admitted that the con is a good one with the caller ID even coming up as various police zones or as Pittsburgh police headquarters.

When asked why he thought the scammers are going after students, Mich said, “It’s an easy target.”

CMU officials said they issued an alert in regard to the phone scam to students, advising them to be aware and to report to campus police immediately if they get a call from the bogus officer.