College students are being targeted in a new scam that lures them in with the promise of tickets to sports or concert events and leaves them empty-handed. The university’s Division of Public Safety has urged everyone to be cautious and protect themselves from identity theft and fraud.

How The Scam Works

The scammer presents themselves as a college student selling tickets on GroupMe.

The scammer then asks the victim to provide their email address and a photo with their student ID to “prove they are real.” After collecting payment, the scammer never delivers and ignores or blocks the victim. 

The scammer then moves on to their next victim, using the email and photo they got from the first victim to help them pose as a student more convincingly.

Protect Yourself

Don’t go through third parties (individual people) to purchase things online. It’s much too easy for scammers to pretend to be someone they’re not and offer goods that they don’t have. 

Help minimize the likelihood of a breach and learn more about cybersecurity at Cornell.

If you’ve been scammed and have lost money, or handed over your personal information, you should take steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission.

If you believe your Cornell NetID has been compromised, contact the IT Security Office.