To: Students, parents, teachers, administrators, and friends of The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC)
From: Dwayne Foster, Commissioner of the WCAC
Re: Social media and Streaming fraud regarding WCAC athletic games/events
Hello all -
We have been made aware of a fraud targeting Instagram followers of WCAC athletic games/events. The scammers have created a fake Instagram page, adding false streaming links to WCAC athletic events designed to steal your personal information, credit card details, even your social security number. Obviously, these scammers have no affiliation with, and have received no authority from, the WCAC.
In general, the fraud works something like this: the scammers create a site that looks almost identical to the WCAC and its streaming platform's sites. They create a link or links from which they claim the game/event will be live streamed. When you click on the link, you are directed to sign up for the streaming service by entering your name and email address. You are then asked to provide a credit card number and potentially more sensitive information. You do not get to watch the game/event because the scammers have not set up a stream. Instead, the data you entered may have been compromised.
The Better Business Bureau has offered these tips when searching for a game/event to watch:
• Make sure any links are coming from official WCAC or school accounts or official media outlets. VERIFY STREAMING OPTIONS FIRST WITH YOUR SCHOOL. This is an effective way to protect yourself. • Review the profile to see when the account was established. If very recent, it is probably fake. • Check the URL (website) to which you are directed. Look for misspellings, special characters, etc., in the username. If the site is secure, the URL should start with “HTTPS://.” Also, an account having a blue check mark does not mean it is real.
• Go directly to the website hosting the stream instead of clicking on a link from social media. • Research any website before paying any money or entering any information. Check the company’s BBB Business Profile at BBB.org.
• Be cautious before clicking links included in social media posts, unsolicited text messages, or emails. Clicking on unfamiliar links can place you at risk for malware or identity theft.
If you fall victim to this scam, or are a victim of any other cybercrime, please consider filing a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at IC3.gov. The IC3 is the central hub for reporting cyber-enabled crime and is operated by the FBI.
We hope this information raises awareness of this fraud and is helpful.
Thank you.
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