Universidad Veracruzana students report wave of telephone extortion

Students at the Universidad Veracruzana (UV) in the Córdoba-Orizaba region have reported a wave of sophisticated telephone extortion attempts. The perpetrators appear to possess highly detailed personal information, including full names, home addresses, academic majors, semesters, names of parents, and even photographs of university credentials.

According to student testimonies, the extortionists often pose as police officers, officials from the Secretariat of Public Security, or prosecutors. They typically claim that the student's phone number is linked to a crime or was provided by a detained individual. In some instances, attackers have allegedly cloned WhatsApp accounts or simulated phone interceptions to intimidate victims.

Some students have reported being pressured via video calls by individuals wearing institutional vests to meet with supposed legal officials. In response, the student community has used social media to share warning lists of suspicious phone numbers and has called on university authorities to investigate the source of the data leak and strengthen security measures to protect personal information.