Oklahoma State University

Police Department

The Oklahoma State University Police Department is reminding students, faculty and staff to remain alert to scams targeting members of the campus community. Recent reports include online blackmail schemes and fraudulent football ticket sales, among other attempts to obtain money and personal information.

• ONLINE BLACKMAIL SCAMS: OSUPD is investigating 10 reported sextortion incidents this semester involving threats to distribute private photos unless victims pay. Known student losses since October total approximately $1,500.
• FOOTBALL TICKET SCAMS: OSUPD is investigating two reports of fraudulent ticket sales on Snapchat involving fake Apple Pay refund messages. Students reported losses of $405.

ONLINE RELATIONSHIP AND BLACKMAIL SCAMS

One increasingly concerning scam involves individuals who meet someone through a social media platform, dating app or other online service. The individual may appear genuine, build a relationship with the victim and eventually encourage an exchange of personal or intimate photographs.

After receiving the photographs, the scammer threatens to share them with the victim's friends, family or social media followers unless money is sent. This type of blackmail is known as sextortion.

Red flags:

• Someone you recently met online is quickly developing a personal or romantic dynamic with you.
• An individual pressures you to exchange intimate photographs or videos.
• Someone encourages you to move conversations to another messaging platform.
• A person threatens to share private photographs or personal information unless you send money.
• The individual demands payment through money-transfer apps, gift cards, cryptocurrency or other methods.

What to do:

• Do not send money or additional photographs. Paying does not guarantee the threats will stop.
• Stop communicating with the individual and block the account.
• Preserve messages, usernames, phone numbers, payment requests and other evidence.
• Report the account to the social media platform.
• Contact OSUPD or Stillwater law enforcement to report the incident.
• Remember that victims are not at fault and should not feel embarrassed about asking for help.

FRAUDULENT FOOTBALL TICKET SALES

OSUPD has been made aware of individuals losing money after attempting to purchase Oklahoma State football tickets through unofficial sellers. Scammers may advertise available tickets through social media, online marketplaces or direct messages, collect payment and then fail to provide legitimate tickets.

In some cases, sellers may use stolen photographs of actual tickets or create convincing listings to make the transaction appear legitimate.

Red flags:

• Tickets are offered through unfamiliar social media accounts or online sellers.
• Sellers pressure buyers to pay immediately to secure tickets.
• Prices are unusually low or seem “too good to be true”.
• Sellers request payment through cash apps, gift cards, wire transfers or other methods with limited buyer protection.
• A seller refuses to provide verifiable ticket information or communicate through a legitimate ticketing platform.

What to do:

• Purchase tickets through official Oklahoma State Athletics channels or authorized ticket resellers.
• Be cautious when purchasing tickets from individuals you do not know.
• Verify the seller and ticket information before sending payment.
• Avoid transactions that require immediate payment through methods that offer little or no buyer protection.
• If you suspect a ticket scam, report the account to the platform and contact your financial institution if money has been sent.

GENERAL TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF

• Be cautious when communicating with individuals you meet online. Not everyone is who they claim to be.
• Never share passwords, banking information or sensitive personal information with unsolicited contacts.
• Avoid sending money to unfamiliar individuals, especially when requests involve urgency, threats or secrecy.
• Verify offers and requests through official channels before taking action.
• Be mindful of the personal information and photographs you share online.
• If something feels suspicious, take time to verify the situation before responding.

WHAT IF YOU HAVE BEEN SCAMMED?

If you believe you have been targeted or have already lost money, contact the OSU Police Department at (405) 744-6523 to report the incident. If you have transferred money, contact your bank or payment provider as soon as possible to report the transaction and ask whether it can be stopped or reversed.

Do not let embarrassment or fear prevent you from reporting an incident. Reporting scams can help law enforcement identify patterns, investigate fraudulent activity and prevent others from becoming victims.

When in doubt, stop communicating, do not send money and contact law enforcement for assistance.

Links to resources:
FBI: Financially Motivated Sextortion - explains how these schemes work and how victims can report them.

NCMEC: Take It Down - helps prevent the online sharing of explicit images taken when someone was under 18. Take It Down is a service provided by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.