Scammers are on the prowl for your personal information and they may use the Library to get leverage on patrons to trick them into giving up important, sensitive, or financial information, or to con them into sending money or giving access to financial accounts. There have been several scams reported to the Library of bad actors impersonating Library staff or agents. The purpose of this page is to inform readers of what scams have been identified, potential scams that they should watch out for, how the Library does and does not conduct business, so that they can avoid scams, and where to report scams if you are contacted by a bad actor.
• Phone call from someone impersonating a "Library Police Officer" requesting immediate payment of fines.
• Phone call from the Library's phone number (315) 446-3578 that was not from the Library and not about Library business.
• Emails impersonating Library staff or agents requesting immediate payment, personal information including Social Security Number, address, contact information, or finantial information. Scammers may know the last four digits of your SSN or bank account.
• Texts impersonating Library staff or agents requesting immediate payment, personal information including Social Security Number, address, contact information, or finantial information.
• Demands via email, phone, or text for payment of fines and/or fees. Library Collections correspondence is done in writing only. The Library will call to follow up on missing items and will work with you to avoid getting charged fines by getting all necessary items back to the Library.
• Requests made that contradict your library account information which can be accessed at: https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/logon.aspx
• Requests for personal information not included in your library record like your SSN or financial information via Phone or Email. The Library does use account info to verify accounts. The Library does send out reminders of overdue items; these are not demands of any kind.
• Requests for personal information via text. The Library does send out text alerts about the status of borrowed items or program registation reminders, if you requested these services.
• Making any type of unwarrented threat including getting law enforcement involved, cancelling library access, or legal action.
• DO NOT pay anyone over the phone who says they are from the Library and hang up immediately.
• DO NOT give your SSN or financial information to anyone who says they are from the Library.
• Go to the Library or Library-run portals to check your account information. You can stop in, call (315) 446-3578, or use the online account portal: https://catalog.onlib.org/polaris/logon.aspx.
• Report the incident to the FTC using the following tool: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-1
• Report the incident to the Library if possible.