Safety Tips

• Secure your bicycle with a U-lock.
• Record the serial number, model, and take a photo of your bike.

Below are instructions on how to arm and disarm burglar alarm systems within the Yale community.

To Arm:

1. Press Command Button
2. Press blank button beneath Arm
3. Enter your code number
4. Press Yes to arm all areas authorized for your code number
5. The display reads System On

To Disarm:

1. Press Command button until Arm Disarm appears
2. Press the blank button beneath Disarm
3. The keypad displays Enter Code: Enter your 4-digit security code and press Command. The keypad displays All? No Yes> Select Yes
4. If all areas have been disarmed, the keypad next displays All Systems Off

To Reset After an Alarm:

1. Keep pressing Command button until the keypad displays Arm Disarm
2. Press the blank button under Disarm
3. Enter your security code and press Command. The keypad displays All? No Yes
4. Select Yes to automatically disarm all the areas authorized for your security code.
5. If all areas have been disarmed, the keypad next displays All Systems Off.

For administrative assistance regarding your burglar alarm system, please call 203-432-6736 (2-OPEN).

• Try not to walk alone.
• You can request a security officer escort via the LiveSafe app or ask a friend to virtually follow you on SafeWalk in the LiveSafe app.
• Use a lighted pathway, if available.
• Wearing headphones or talking on your cell phone will prevent you from being aware of your surroundings.
• Use the Yale shuttle service. Monitor the shuttle in real-time via the LiveSafe app.
• If you see something, say something.
• Do not carry large amounts of money or jewelry.
• If approached by someone demanding money, give it to them. Call the police immediately.
• If you’re a victim of a crime, call the police.
• Be aware of Blue Phone locations.
• Know your route and alternative routes.
• Do not attach your ID card to your keychain.
• Keep doors and windows in your dorm or apartment locked at all times.

• Call the Yale Police if you receive a serious threat of life or property, or if calls are obscene.
• Keep a log of date, time, and nature of call and the gender of the caller.
• Contact your local phone service provider to inquire about what options may be available to you.
• If you receive a call, hang up on the caller. Don’t engage in a conversation with the caller.
• If the caller asks what number they have called, do not give it to them. Instead, ask them to tell you what number they dialed.

• Don’t leave your laptop in plain sight in a vehicle.
• Carry your laptop in bags, briefcases, and tote bags.
• Record the serial number, model number of your laptop.
• Back up information on an external hard drive. Store in a safe location.

Living off-campus in our vibrant host city of New Haven can provide new experiences and the opportunity to enjoy the diversity of New Haven’s many offerings.  Living off-campus may not afford access to some on-campus amenities such as access to Yale Transit shuttles or Security services such as walking escorts.  The Yale Police Department may not provide regular patrols of off-campus locations, and Blue Phones are found only within the campus footprint.

Below are safety considerations to assist you as you evaluate an off-campus residence.

• You should have already downloaded the LiveSafe app. It’s a feature-rich platform that provides access to an array of services and information, including rapid access to 911, texting to YPD, monitoring locations of Yale shuttles in real-time, and the ‘Go Safe’ link.
• How do you plan on traveling to and from your residence?
  • If you plan on walking or bicycling, you should walk or bike the route during those times of day matching your typical schedule. Areas can ‘feel’ differently during the day than during the evening or darkness. Is the route well-lit? Is there loitering or activity that makes you uncomfortable? You want to feel safe as you travel to and from your residence.
  • If you plan on using Yale Transit or mass transit, how close is the nearest stop? Does the transit schedule provide services when you need them? Are you comfortable walking to and from the transit stop?
• Check out the area both during the day and evening, including the weekend. While you may find some exciting surprises in the neighborhood, you want to gauge your own perception of safety.
  • Do an internet search of the address or street. You may find helpful information regarding area activity. Talk to area residents or shop owners. What can they tell you about the neighborhood?
  • Visit the New Haven Police Department website. Click on the ‘CompStat’ tab. There you will find up-to-date crime information, categorized and mapped to assist you in evaluating levels and types of police activity in the area.
• If the residence you are considering is multi-tenant, consider talking to the other tenants. Is it a stable tenant base? Do they enjoy living there? Is the landlord responsive?
  • Does the residence appear well-maintained?

Residential Safety Considerations

• Does the exterior of the building appear well-maintained?  Is shrubbery trimmed to limit areas of concealment, particularly near the entry doors?  Shrubbery should not obstruct windows or doors.
  • Check the building during darkness.
  • Are you satisfied with the amount of lighting?
  • Particularly around parking areas and paths you will use to enter the building?
• Is there a single entrance to the building?  If yes, is it secured?  Does the lock(s) appear to be in good working order?  Does it close and secure behind you?  Are there safety features such as an intercom or camera?
• If you are moving into an apartment, ask the landlord to change the lock(s) to your unit.  Or ask if you would be allowed to change the locks.  You will likely be asked to provide the landlord with a key for emergency access.
  • If the door to your unit does not have a deadbolt-type lock, consider installing one.
  • Make sure the door shuts securely.
  • Does the door have a peephole viewer?
• If you have a bicycle, consider where you can secure it.  If you can’t bring it inside, always use a U-lock. Cable-type locks can be easily defeated.
• Particularly if you are living the ground floor, make sure all the windows have locks.
• Are bug screens installed?
• If you have a window unit air conditioner, ensure that proper mounting brackets are installed to secure the unit against easy removal.
  • If you will open your windows for ventilation, consider sliding window locks to prevent the window from being moved up or down from the outside.

Other Tips and Considerations

• Never open your front door until you’re comfortable that you’ve identified your visitor.  Do not be hesitant to ask for identification or verify the legitimacy of the visit.
• Make sure you can quickly evacuate in the event of an emergency.  Have a plan to evacuate in the event your primary door can’t be accessed.

• Lock doors and windows.
• Do not leave valuables in your car. Hide from plain view.
• Have keys ready when approaching your vehicle and scan the area before getting in.
• Immediately lock your doors when you get inside.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• If your vehicle breaks down use caution when approached by people you don’t know.
• Don’t leave your car running.
• Avoid parking in secluded, poorly lit areas.
• Take items of value, including your laptop, home during holiday breaks.

• Lock your doors between trips to your dorm or apartment.
• Do not prop open dorm room door. Never leave your room unsecured and unattended.
• Leave valuables at home. On campus, secure them in a safe place in your room out of view.

• Be suspicious of any stranger calling or emailing asking for money.
• Don’t share your social security number of FAFSA ID.
• Never accept a job that requires depositing checks into your account or wiring money to individuals.
• Be aware that a police department will not call you and ask for money.
• Report scams to Yale Police and the Federal Trade Commission.

Sexual Misconduct Response at Yale

Yale strives to be a community free of sexual misconduct (including harassment and assault), by promoting the essential values of respect and responsibility, providing education, and working with students, faculty, and staff — a community that is safe and supportive for all. If you are in an emergency or in immediate danger, call 911 or Yale Police at 203-432-4400.

Full list of options and resources available for any community member coping with sexual misconduct.

• The SHARE (Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education) Center provides information, advocacy, and support for community members coping with sexual misconduct, whether directly or indirectly. You can call their direct hotline, 203-432-2000, at any time, 24 hours a day. In addition to counseling assistance, SHARE counselors can guide students through options for informal resolutions and filing formal complaints at Yale.
• The Yale Police Investigative Unit which works closely with SHARE, is also available 24/7 at 203-432-4400. Anyone needing assistance can call or walk-in for confidential consultations regarding possible criminal action, including for off-campus students. The YPD has a Sergeant in charge of sensitive crimes and can provide assistance and information on available victims’ assistance services and also has the capacity to perform full criminal investigations.

Individuals are receiving emails impersonating Yale faculty and staff members requesting to have direct deposit information changed. In the initial communication, they will often ask for direct deposit change forms or provide filled out forms found online. These requests will attempt to divert an individual’s payroll check to the criminal’s account.

To reduce the likelihood of a successful scam, look for spelling and grammatical errors; check the email sender’s name and header by expanding the To and From fields to see the full email address; and check the email header for more information that could assist in determining if the email is legitimate.

Criminals also target employees through phishing emails designed to capture an employee’s login credentials.

Steps to mitigate:

1. Report all crimes and suspicious activity to the Yale Police at 203-432-4400.
2. Use two factor authentication or two levels of approval and verbal agreement from the requesting individual
3. Those who receive suspicious communications are encouraged to call the sender (the employee) on the phone to verify any requests
4. Alert and educate your team about this scheme, including preventative strategies and response
5. Hover your cursor over hyperlinks included in emails to view the actual URL. Ensure the URL is actually related to or associated with the company it purports to be from
6. Refrain from supplying login credentials or personally identifying information in response to any email
7. Apply heightened scrutiny to bank information initiated by employees seeking to update or change direct deposit credentials

Source: FBI, GTM Resources and NJCCIC

Protect yourself from fraud during the holiday season:

• Enable multi-factor authentication.
• Avoid connecting devices to public charging stations.
• Do not make purchases using public WiFi.
• Beware of ‘secret Santa’ gift and other gift exchanges, compensated online surveys.
• Before clicking a link on social media to visit a website, use a URL expander to ensure you are trying to visit a legitimate site.
• Look for irregularities in language and terminology to prevent clicking or opening a spoofed email or text message.
• Beware of online retailers that don’t have a company email.
• Online retailers web addresses should begin with https:// and include a locked padlock icon.

Source: Open, USAA, FBI and NJCCIC

Scammers are impersonating academic officials, government agencies, law enforcement and other organizations in an attempt to steal personally identifiable information (PII), obtain login account credentials, or extort funds. Scammers will make contact through email, SMS text messaging, phone calls, and social media platforms to convince their targets to take action. The actual name of a legitimate law enforcement official or employee will be used in the email signature and spoofed in the display name and email address.

Legitimate law enforcement agencies and official government organizations typically initiate enforcement action contact by postal mail or in person.

Signs of spoofed emails include spelling errors, incorrect titles, grammatical inconsistencies, sense of urgency, and demanding and threatening language. Phishing emails may contain information about accessing a document and a link with an expiration date to create a sense of urgency. If clicked, the link directs the victim to an online document or site that prompts the victim to enter account credentials to verify their identity and access the document.

Report fraud or fraudulent attempts to the Yale Police Department at 203-432-4400.

Source:NJCCIC

College students seeking to find employment and build their resume can be targeted by scammers. Ruthless individuals advertise employment opportunities through online ads posted on social media, job sites, in print publications, and on TV and radio. They promise you a job, but what they want is your personal information and money. The Federal Trade Commission provides examples of jobs scams and tips to help you avoid them.

Source: FTC and FBI

Mobile payment service providers such as Cash App, PayPal, and others provide proactive steps to inform customers about possible scams and fraudsters.

• All Mobile Service Providers:
  • Only send payments to people you trust
  • Verify and double-check all recipient information before sending a payment, to confirm you are sending it to the correct person
  • Do not send money to someone promising something in the future (e.g. free money in return, promise of increasing your money, prize or sweepstakes you need to pay fees for.)
• Cash App:
  • No service representative will ask you for your sign-in code over the phone, social media, or through any other channel
  • No service provider will ever ask you to send money to another Cash App account
  • No service provider will ask you to provide sensitive information (e.g. full debit card number, your bank account number, Social Security number, etc.)
• PayPal:
  • If you see a transaction, you did not authorize, report it to PayPal
  • Ensure the URL is authentic before submitting your login information

If you think you are a victim of fraud, please contact the Yale Police Department at 203-432-4400 or use the LiveSafe app.

The following are preventative measures to avoid QR Code Fraud:

• Make sure the QR code is legitimate, and it is not a code that was posted over the original.
• Do not scan a randomly found QR code. Scan trusted entities.
• Be suspicious if a password or login information is required
• Watch out for bit.ly links – check the link that appears after scanning the QR code

If you think you are a victim of fraud, please contact the Yale Police Department at (203) 432-4400 or use the LiveSafe app.

• You receive a call or email saying that you owe money (taxes/student loans), committed fraud, or your VISA status has expired.
• The caller uses threats, intimidation, and legal jargon to get what they want. (eg: threats of deportation and arrest).
• A recent trend is called Thread Hijacking. This technique uses malicious messages sent within existing email conversations. The names are spoofed to appears to be legitimate contacts within the email thread.
• Reports all fraud and attempts to defraud to Yale Police at 203-432-4400 or via the Live Safe app.

Source: NJCCIC, USAA, FBI

Remember

• Check with the Yale Bursar’s office to confirm any fees owed on your student account.
• The IRS does not communicate via e-mail, or text. Contact would be through regular United States Postal Service mail.
• The IRS does not request iTunes or Google Pay gift cards. They will not send you on a scavenger hunt at Walmart, 7-Eleven, or the Apple Store.
• The IRS will never threaten to send local police, immigration officers, or other law enforcement entities after you for a non-payment.
• Behavior blackmail scams
  Be aware that your actions can make its way onto the internet.
• Keep website and app privacy settings set to the strictest levels possible.
• Do not share compromising photos with anyone, even dating partners. Do not save intimate photos on your device.
• Be mindful of others who may he intoxicated or acting inappropriately, and don’t post their photos online.

Source: IACLEA and IAFCI

Verification requests
Don’t be fooled by scammers asking you to “verify” your W-2 or personal information. Some may ask you to upload a picture of your forms. The only time that the IRS would request ID verification would be if they were concerned about a suspicious tax return with a real taxpayer’s name or Social Security number. The IRS would generally send a letter in the mail first and ask you to verify your identity using an online Identify Verification Service.

Phone scams
Scammers impersonating IRS agents may make aggressive or threatening calls demanding money or offering a refund. Sometimes they even spoof their caller ID information to appear as if they’re calling from an IRS office. The IRS contacts taxpayers via mail. The IRS does not accept payment in the form of gift cards.

Inflated refund claims
Beware of tax preparers who ask you to sign a blank check, promise big refunds before looking at your records or charge fees based on a percentage of your refund. They use fliers, phony storefronts and sometimes infiltrate community groups and churches. These scammers may file a false return in your name and take your refund.

Fake charities
Scammers may contact you impersonating charities; some even contact victims, claiming to be with the IRS. These groups often have names similar to legitimate organizations. Don’t give out personal financial information or Social Security numbers. And don’t give or send cash.

Identity theft
One of the most common identity theft scams involves filing tax returns using stolen Social Security numbers. Protect your personal data, check your credit report annually, and review your Social Security Administration earnings statement each year to make sure you haven’t been targeted.

If you encounter anything suspicious, report it to the Yale Police Department by calling 203-432-4400 or by using the Live Safe app.

Source: USAA

1. Get your free credit report annually from the three credit reporting agencies (TransUnion, Equifax, Experian) at annualcreditreport.com.
2. Register to access your social security benefits statement on the Social Security website.
   You can review your benefits and earnings record, to ensure no one is fraudulently using your social security number.
3. When authorizing person-to-person payments (Zelle, Venmo, etc), know who you’re paying.
4. Use a credit card when making purchases. Debit cards are linked to a bank account and create hurdles when compromised by fraud.
5. Keep thorough records. Document the make, model, color, and unique serial number of your property.
6. Check ATM machines for skimming devices prior to inserting your card. Cover the pin pad during use.
7. Don’t assume phone calls or emails (even from people you know) are authentic. Caller ID and email addresses can be spoofed using real government phone numbers and spoofed email addresses. Hang up and verify/call back to verify authenticity.
8. Check actual e-mail addresses and not just e-mail subjects/headings. Report phishing when an e-mail is suspect. Your professor or Department Chair should not be asking you to buy gifts cards or to wire transfer money.
9. Verify the driver, license plate, and vehicle make/model with your transportation network (Uber, Lyft) app prior to entry.
10. Do not deposit a check into your account if requested by an unknown individual. You are responsible for all items deposited into your account.

If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, report it to the Yale Police Department at 203-432-4400 or via the LiveSafe app and follow the steps:

1. Call the company where the fraud occurred and ask for the fraud department.
   Explain that someone stole your identity.
   Ask them to close or freeze the accounts to prevent new charges being added.
   Change logins, passwords, and pins for your accounts.

2. Place a fraud alert by calling the one of the three agencies. The agency you call will contact the others. Request your free credit reports from each bureau.

   Experian.com/help
   888-experian (888-397-3742)

   TransUnion.com/credit-help
   888-909-8872

   Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
   800-685-1111

3. Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission by completing an online Identity Theft form or call 1-877-438-4338.
4. Report a crime to your local police office.

If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, report it to the Yale Police Department at 203-432-4400 or via the LiveSafe app and follow the steps:

1. Call the company where the fraud occurred and ask for the fraud department.
   Explain that someone stole your identity.
   Ask them to close or freeze the accounts to prevent new charges being added.
   Change logins, passwords, and pins for your accounts.

2. Place a fraud alert by calling the one of the three agencies. The agency you call will contact the others. Request your free credit reports from each bureau.

   Experian.com/help
   888-experian (888-397-3742)

   TransUnion.com/credit-help
   888-909-8872

   Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
   800-685-1111

3. Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission by completing an online Identity Theft form or call 1-877-438-4338.
4. Report a crime to your local police office.

Here are recommendations you may consider when engaging in online dating:

• Conduct an online search to cross-check the person’s name, photo, location, email address, and other details for legitimacy.
• Do not share any personal information (e.g. social security number, bank information, etc.) if you have not yet verified the legitimacy of the individual(s).
• Do not send explicit photos or videos that could potentially be used to blackmail you.
• Never wire money. Put money on a gift or cash reload card or send cash to an online love interest.
• Contact your bank right away if you think you have sent money to a scammer.

If you think you are a victim of fraud, please contact the Yale Police Department at 203-432-4400 or via the LiveSafe app.

Sources:

• Criminal Intelligence Report: Scam/Fraud/SExtorion/Blackmail (2021) Fort Bragg Law Enforcement Center. Joint Fusion Cell / Crime Analysis & Intelligence Unit
• Schubert, C. (2021) “How to Detect (and Avoid) an Online Romance Scammer” Security National Bank of South Dakota. Retrieved from How to Detect (and Avoid) an Online Romance Scammer

1. Request your ride inside - If possible, wait for your ride indoors.
2. Check your ride - Verify you’re getting into the right car with the right driver by matching the license plate, car make, model, and driver photo with what’s provided in your app.
3. Have the driver confirm your name - Ask the driver to confirm your name before you get in the car. Your driver sees your first name in their app, and your driver’s first name is displayed to you in your ride share company’s app.
4. Be a back-seat rider - Sit in the back seat, if you’re riding alone.
5. Always wear your seat belt - Seat belts save lives and reduce injuries related to car crashes.
6. Share your trip details with loved ones - Share your driver’s name, photo, license plate, and location with a friend or family member.
7. Follow your intuition - Trust your instincts and use your best judgment when requesting a ride. If you feel that you’re in an urgent situation, call 911. If you feel unsafe, end the ride at any time.
8. Be kind and respectful - Please respect fellow passengers, your driver, and their car.
9. Give feedback about your trip - Feedback helps to ensure a safe and enjoyable ride for everyone.
10. SafeWalk – a LiveSafe feature - AActivate your SafeWalk feature via the LiveSafe app as an alternative to your ride sharing app.