Safety
Boston is a safe city although there is occasional crime, as in all populated areas. Please check with the Northeastern University Police Department for special concerns or questions.
Northeastern University Police Department numbers
- NON-EMERGENCY: 617-373-2121
- EMERGENCY: 617-373-3333
Northeastern has NU ALERT, a service that allows the administration to reach all students and staff with time-sensitive information during unforeseen events or emergencies. The system uses voice, e-mail, and text messaging to broadcast pertinent information and, when appropriate, provide directions. Your myNortheastern information is your link to NU ALERT, so please keep your information up-to-date.
General safety tips for walking and exercising:
- Avoid walking or jogging alone (especially at night)
- Use well-lit, familiar streets. (Never take poorly lit shortcuts through alleyways or wooded areas)
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Avoid using cell phones or listening to music with headphones. (Plan your route and walk confidently)
Northeastern’s Public Safety Division provides an on-campus personal safety escort service twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Call the Northeastern University Police Department at 617-373-2121 and give them your name, Northeastern identification number, and location.
Public Safety also provides an off-campus shuttle, the Red-Eye, when you leave campus to return to your off-campus apartment from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This university-operated hourly shuttle departs from the Snell Library on the hour, starting at 7:00 p.m. The shuttle is free and provides service to student residences in a one-and-a-half-mile radius of campus. Exceptions will be made under emergency situations only. Call 617-373-2121 to schedule an escort pick-up.
The Northeastern University Police Department also offers assistance with all areas of campus and personal safety, including sexual assault and harassment, identity theft, and online safety. Register your laptop with the STOP Theft Registration here.
Scams
If you have been a victim of a scam of any kind please contact NUPD imminently: 617-373-2121!
You can find a list of the most common immigration scams on the USCIS website.
Scam alert – imposter calls!
If someone claiming to be a government official or law enforcement officer calls making threats such as deportation, beware! Hang up and report it!
Here’s how it works
A number appears on your caller identification that may look like a legitimate government number. When you answer, the person on the phone poses as a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or other government official or law enforcement officer. The scammer (or scammers) will say there is a problem with your application or additional information is required to continue the immigration process. Then, they will often ask for sensitive personal and financial information, demand payment, and threaten you with deportation, arrest, or other negative consequences if you do not comply.
The scammer will then order victims to make a payment – and will often order them to go to a nearby bank or store and withdraw money or purchase a prepaid card, gift card, voucher, money order or make some other wire transfer, money exchange, payment or withdrawal. (Note that the scammers are often able to direct victims to nearby banks or stores by using online maps to study the area in which a victim resides.)
If you receive a call like that, hang up immediately. We will never ask for any form of payment over the phone or in an email. If we need payment, we will mail a letter on official stationery requesting payment. Do not give payment over the phone to anyone who claims to be a USA Citizenship and Immigration Services official. In general, we encourage you to protect your personal information and not to provide details about your immigration application in any public area.
Steps you can take
Please report any suspicious call or e-mail to the Office of Global Services.
If you have been a victim of this telephone or email scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission. If you receive a suspicious email or voice message and are not sure if it is a scam, forward it to the the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services webmaster at ([email protected]). They will review the messages received and share with law enforcement agencies as appropriate. Visit the Avoid Scams Initiative for more information on common scams and other important tips.
If you have a question about your immigration record, please call the National Customer Service Center at 800-375-5283 or visit https://my.uscis.gov/appointment to make an InfoPass appointment. You can also use myUSCIS to find up-to-date information about your application process.