A 20-year-old female Penn State student reported to the State College Police Department that a man who said he worked for the Penn State Escort Service attempted to sexually assault her early yesterday morning.

According to a police press release, the woman was walking home on the 200 block of East Beaver Avenue sometime between 1:30 and 2:30 a.m. yesterday when a man approached her, told her he was with the Penn State Escort Service and offered to walk her home. The woman agreed, and the man walked her to her apartment on the 400 block of West College Avenue.

Once inside the apartment, the man attempted to sexually assault her, the police press release said.

The press release did not specify how the man entered the woman's apartment.

It also did not give details about the nature of the sexual assault.

A friend of the woman then got into an altercation with the man and hit him in the face.

The man was last seen heading west on the 600 block of West College Avenue.

According to the release, the man never presented any identification or verification that he was affiliated with the escort service, and police do not believe the man was affiliated with the escort service.

Penn State University Police supervisor Bill Moerschbacher said members of the Penn State Escort Service never approach people to offer escort services.

He said all escorts are arranged ahead of time by telephone.

Moerschbacher advised that anyone approached by someone claiming to be an escort service employee should not consider the person to be a legitimate escort service employee and should call either the university police or the State College police immediately.

University Police also said Escort Service employees wear "identifying clothing," which includes a logo badge and an identification card. Escort Service employees also carry radios. Anyone not wearing these items is not an Escort Service employee, University Police said.

Police describe the man as being white, 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall and in his early 20s. He has a medium build, brown hair, brown eyes and possibly some facial hair. He was wearing jeans and a blue sweater with a light colored horizontal stripe across the front. He also might have injuries to his face as a result of the altercation with the woman's friend.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident or the identity of the man to call the State College Police at (814) 234-7150 or CRIMESTOPPERS at (877) 992-7463. Individuals who provide information to the police may remain anonymous and will be eligible for a reward if the information leads to an arrest, the release said.