URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — A University of Illinois student recently lost $1,000 in a technical support scam, U of I Police officials said.

The scam was reported to them on Monday. The student said she was unable to access a social media account and searched the Internet for a technical support phone number. When she called the number she found, the person who answered directed her to make online deposits to an unknown account that added up to $1,000. The call was disconnected when the payments were made.

U of I Police are well familiar with scams of all types, as students and others have reported falling victim to scams throughout the academic year. Some scams are hidden in, among other things, fake subscription emails, employment and reimbursement opportunities and, similar to this case, services that appear to be legitimate on the Internet. Other scams involve direct extortion through intimate conversations or threats of arrest.

A list of scams that are reported to U of I Police is maintained on their website, providing red flags and prior examples of scams that people can look for when dealing with someone unknown. Anyone who experiences contact with someone unknown that involves a demand for payment can report it to the U of I Police by calling their 24-hour non-emergency number: 217-333-1216.