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For several years, UMBC's Division of Information Technology has received reports of gift card scams. Recently, some of these scams have been sent as text messages to personal phones, falsely representing themselves as directions from senior administration officials. Regardless of how the message is sent or received, who appears to be sending it, or what personal information it may contain, it's a scam. Nobody is going to ask you to buy several hundred dollars' worth of gift cards and send the PINs.

The scam is simple, and while details may vary, the basic outline remains the same.

Short version:
Someone tells you to buy one or more gift cards and then to send them the numbers off the back.

Detailed version:
The victim receives a message, possibly through email, SMS text message, or even a phone call, telling them that someone in authority (a supervisor, the Internal Revenue Service, etc.) needs them to purchase some quantity of gift cards. The message will specify a type of gift card, such as Google Play or iTunes, but it could be any card that can be used like money. The message will often be worded to make the immediate purchase seem urgent and may state that the person needing the card cannot be reached directly (e.g., "in a meeting" or "out of the country").

The victim is instructed to get the PIN off the back of the card and send it or a picture of it via phone, email, or some other method of electronic communication.

Once this is done, the scam is over. The scammer can sell the PIN numbers at a discount. Since the scammer has spent nothing, everything is pure profit.

If you receive a scam message involving UMBC phone numbers, UMBC-owned phones, or mentioning members of the UMBC community, please notify DoIT through email at security@umbc.edu.

You can find more information about these scams at:

• https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/avoiding-and-reporting-gift-card-scams
• https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2023/07/if-you-paid-scammer-gift-card-your-money-gone-maybe-not
• https://support.apple.com/gift-card-scams

For the last seven weeks, Robert Barry ’25, ancient studies and visual arts, worked in a trench under the sweltering 90-degree sun. It may sound grueling, but this is Barry’s second year working in this archeological site in Greece with Michael F. Lane, associate professor of ancient studies and field director on the Kopaic Cultures, Economies, and Landscapes (KOCECOLA) research program. KOCECOLA is an archaeological investigation of a prehistoric settlement in its physical, human, and historical circumstances in the Kopaic Basin of central mainland Greece. Lane has conducted fieldwork in this area since 2010.

“What I really like about ancient studies is the faculty,” shares Barry. “They show a lot of interest in their students, and I feel like I belong.” Barry has taken archaeology and ancient Greek language classes with Lane, where he has excelled.

Barry learned about the project in Lane’s ancient Greek language class. Lane was seeking undergraduate research assistants to join the 2023 six-week summer archeological fieldwork opportunity, and Barry joined the team. This year, he returned as a trench supervisor with more responsibilities.

From excavating to supervising

Student research assistants use satellite-based differential Global Navigation Satellite Systems (DGNSS) and optical survey equipment. “We use the DGNSS and optical equipment both to plot the location of our trenches and to record the position of discoveries in three dimensions: latitude, longitude, and elevation above sea level,” explains Lane. Once an excavation site is identified, students use trigonometry to measure trenches and then large shovels to reveal distinct layers of soil. Excavation teams are made up of 2 – 3 students spread across six trenches.

“This year, I was a trench supervisor and learned a lot about myself. My priorities changed,” explains Barry. “Last year, I was digging and following directions from my supervisor. Now, I’m giving the orders and having to be responsible for the health and safety of everyone else while getting the job done.”

Lane says the senior staff at KOCECOLA regarded Barry as a peer. “He’s smart, meticulous, punctual, responsible, untiring, even-keeled, good-humored, and funny,” says Lane. “For this reason, I gave him a trench of his own to supervise for the last three weeks this summer, and he exceeded expectations.”

To get the job done, the team’s daily routine meant leaving the village at 5 a.m., taking a 20-minute drive to the dig site, hiking up a mountain, and beginning work around 5:30 a.m. Barry’s team of three students used small hand trowels and brushes to help reveal soil layers and artifacts, such as pottery. A fine mesh screen helped sift the soil removed during excavation, leaving behind finer artifacts. They would take soil samples for scientific dating and chemical analysis, as well as basic soil and sedimentary descriptions. Thanks to a 2024 UMBC Strategic Awards for Research Transitions grant that Lane received, students also had the opportunity to sample for radiocarbon dating and luminescence dating, which measures the energy of photons released from minerals to determine the age of exposed strata.

“We record where each artifact is, define its features and its chronological, historical, cultural, and social contexts,” says Barry. “It can get complicated when there are numerous artifacts to identify, map, excavate, bag, and label.” At 1 p.m., the crew would head to the lab for three hours to wash the day’s finds, scrub them with toothbrushes, and catalog finds. The rest of the afternoon would be all theirs until 8 p.m. when they would gather for a communal dinner at the local taverna (Greek for restaurant). 

To Greece and beyond

Now that the internship has ended, Barry is sightseeing in Austria before returning to the U.S. “My favorite part of this year’s experience was the international collaboration. I enjoyed getting to know students from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and Greece,” says Barry, who used these opportunities to practice his Greek and Latin skills, which are important in the ancient studies graduate programs he’ll apply to after returning to UMBC.

“Probably the moment that most touched me this summer was when Robert sat down at the kitchen table at the staff house with me and said, ‘Lane, can I tell you something…? I think I want to do this for the rest of my life’,” Lane shares. “I now consider it my duty to help him continue to excel, doing everything in my power to get him into the best academic programs and relevant jobs.”

Learn more about UMBC’s ancient studies program.

The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association dedicated to transforming health care by supporting the entire spectrum of medical education, medical research, patient care, and community collaborations conducted by our member institutions. We are dedicated to the communities we serve and steadfast in our goal to improve the health of people everywhere.

The AAMC’s Office of Government Relations (OGR) team is responsible for advocating on behalf of the nation’s medical schools and teaching hospitals to “improve the health of all” (from the AAMC mission statement). This includes covering a broad range of issues that impact these members, including in the areas of COVID-19 response, medical research, clinical care, health equity, and education. OGR staff work closely with policymakers in the Administration and in Congress, as well as government relations staff at member institutions.

Why us, why now: 

The Office of Government Relations Health Policy Intern will work closely with the association’s lobbyists on issues that impact medical schools and teaching hospitals and their patients and communities. This includes following key pieces of legislation, representing the AAMC at virtual briefings, hearings, and other meetings, and summarizing key information for AAMC staff and members. The internship will begin in September 2024 and end in December 2024. Internships will be for class credit.  

Development Opportunities: 

• Gain an understanding of the full range of legislative issues that impact academic medicine 
  
• Get a first-hand look at the political process, including direct lobbying, legislation development, and coalition building 
  
• Network with internal and external health policy experts 
• How you will make an impact: 
  
• Regularly attend or watch coalition meetings, briefings, hearings, and other relevant Capitol Hill events 
  
• Track key issues and prepare background information for AAMC staff, policymakers, and constituents 
  
• Research key issues and help prepare advocacy materials, including talking points and one-pagers 
  
• Assist with longer-term advocacy research projects that benefit academic medicine 
  
• Help edit and draft articles for AAMC’s weekly legislative newsletter, Washington Highlights 

• Coursework leading to a degree in political science, public health, public policy, science, or a related field
• Interest in health policy
• Basic understanding of the federal government and political process
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Interested candidates should submit an application that includes:
• Resume
• Writing sample of no more than 5 pages