Date/Time Occured
01/24/2026 at 2:00 AM
Specifics
Several parents of university students have reported receiving fraudulent phone calls from a person falsely identifying themselves as a WashU Police Department employee, stating that their student has been arrested, and requesting immediate payment of money as part of the student’s release.
Response
WASHU PD is investigating.
Precautions
• If you receive a call like this, do not provide any personal information. Simply hang up and report the incident to our police department.
• If you have any questions please call us directly at 314-935-5555.
• You can also report these or other incidents through the WashU Safe App. https://police.wustl.edu/police-services/washu-safe-app/
• You can also report through the WashU PD website. https://police.wustl.edu/contact/safety-and-security-concern-reporting-form/
Stay vigilant and stay safe.