Safety

Beyond the Diag will post safety related articles to living off-campus. Our goal is to raise awareness and provide you with tools to keep yourself and your home or apartment safe.

Column 1

Spot a Scam, Stop a Scam

Colleagues in DPSS have advised that job and employment scams have become more complex and sophisticated in recent months, with some scammers using fake checks that include the Michigan “Block M” and convincing wording. If you ever receive an image of a check for deposit or are promised funds in connection to an unknown activity, be aware that this may be fraud. To be safe, contact the relevant university department to verify the information that you have received.

Securing your property during the summer

With the weather getting warmer, you may be tempted to leave doors and windows open and unlocked, to allow for ventilation. Home intruders and criminals look for these types of easy access points, as it offers the quickest access to your home and valuables. If you are leaving your house, even for a short period of time, please ensure that all doors and windows are properly closed and locked, including any upstairs windows. If you have a door or window that can’t be fully closed and locked, please report it to your landlord immediately.

Leaving town for the summer

As the spring semester comes to a close, you may be preparing to leave town in the next few weeks. For those of you who will graduate this semester, congratulations, and we wish you well on your future endeavors! It’s a bittersweet time for all of us as we say goodbye to familiar faces and welcome new opportunities for growth and exploration. This time of year is also stressful, as it often means moving back home with a lot more items that you came with. This article offers some tips and resources to help make this move as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Staying Safe in the Spring Time

March is here and St. Patrick’s Day is approaching. As well as this, March Madness is beginning soon, and the NCAA tournament is always a popular time for students to socialize and celebrate. Below are some tips to stay safe and enjoy the festivities this year!

Stay in the Blue: Staying in the Blue means keeping your blood alcohol content (BAC) at low-risk levels of .06 or below. Alcohol affects everyone differently – so regardless of your age, gender, physical condition, or emotional state, it is important to monitor your alcohol intake.

Recent ticket scams

The Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS) has seen an increase in reports of fraudulent tickets being sold online for basketball and hockey tickets. Scammers are asking students to send a picture of their MCard to 'prove' they are a student, then proceed to use the MCard image to scam other students.  Authentic ticket sales sites will not ask you to send your ID in this way - please protect your identity and information, and avoid being a victim of this scam.

If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, please contact DPSS at 734-763-1131.