IT urges ‘due diligence’ after scam email
A security alert sent out by UIT on Jan. 6 warned students of a potentially malicious scam email targeting them in search of personal information.
The alert reported that the emails are designed to lure students into disclosing personal information that could be used to access their accounts or sell information to a larger operation. This particular round of emails reached a large percentage of students, said Mary Dickerson, the assistant vice chancellor of IT Security.
“It’s not uncommon to see hackers targeting our students,” Dickerson said.
Dickerson said the email addresses could have been obtained by anyone, as any student who has not opted into FERPA has his or her contact information displayed publicly on the school’s directory website.
The company named in the fraudulent email, TEKSystems, is cooperating with the University and law enforcement and was not responsible for the fake job offers. The company had not previously been associated with the University says Dickerson.
Ultimately, however, it boils down to using common sense, Dickerson said. The email address the emails were sent from were on an AOL server, not a corporate one, she said.
“Use due diligence and be skeptical,” Dickerson said.
Included in the email was a list of frequently asked questions, including what to do if a student had already responded to the message. If students believe they have subjected themselves to this, they should immediately contact UIT or UHPD.
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