In the last several days, the UMBC community has received thousands of fake job offers from "Ryan Glenn".  An example is shown below:

Summary: The message above is coming from someone you don’t know and who doesn’t offer a last name.  The message asks for detailed information that can be used for identity theft.  It is from a Gmail account which anyone can create under any name not already in use. 

If you respond to this message, you will get something like the one below:

There is a Ryan Glenn and he is, in fact, a Vice President with a corporation called Paylocity.  However, he does not want to hire you.  This is a scam.  Please do not reply.

If you do receive email similar to these examples, or any other email that you suspect is a scam, please do not click on any URL or reply. Either of those actions confirms to the sender that your email address is valid. Please forward the message (with the email headers) tosecurity@umbc.edu.

How do I forward full email headers?

https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970

To read more articles published by DOIT Security, visit: 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?tag=notice. 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/home/covid-19-news/?tag=covid19

DoIT has been notified of another malicious actor sending out phishing emails claiming to offer job opportunities with Cisco Systems. The email below is similar to the previous phishing attempts, but  with a new subject line: “UMBC STUDENT EMPOWERMENT PART TIME JOB OPPORTUNITY.”

If you do receive this or any other email that you suspect is a scam, please do not click on any URL or reply. Either of those actions confirms to the sender that your email address is valid. Please forward the message (with the email headers) to security@umbc.edu.

How do I forward full email headers?

https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970

To read more articles published by DOIT visit: 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?tag=notice. 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/home/covid-19-news/?tag=covid19

Recently the DoIT has been notified of a job scam using a compromised UMBC email account to send out fake job offers. An example of the email (with the name of the sender removed for privacy) is shown below.

Please note that this phishing message is coming from a umbc email but the reply-to in the emails headers is set to <charlenabolinlyco21@gmail.com>. This means if the user responds to the email above they would not be responding to the umbc email, instead their email would be sent to the <charlenabolinlyco21@gmail.com>.

If you do receive this or any other email that you suspect is a scam, please do not click on any URL or reply. Either of those actions confirms to the sender that your email address is valid. Please forward the message (with the email headers) to security@umbc.edu.

How do I forward full email headers?

https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970

To read more articles published by DOIT visit: 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?tag=notice. 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/home/covid-19-news/?tag=covid19

With classes starting back up, malicious actors will try even harder to steal people's information or commit Identity theft. The article that is linked below has some tips for college students to help avoid Identity theft by monitoring your inbox and detecting fraud.

Here are some of the tips that are recommended for college students:

• Send sensitive mail to your permanent home or post office box. Sending your more sensitive mail to a PO box or permanent home is considered much more secure.

• Important documents should be stored away safely. Make sure documents like your Social Security card, passport, and bank and credit card statements are stored securely. As well to often shred credit card offers and any other paper document that has sensitive financial information.

• Never lend your card or debit card to anyone. If you feel uncomfortable about lending your card just say no. This includes lending your card to a friend, or co-signing for a loan or financing for items like a TV. Also at an ATM making sure that no one is ‘shoulder surfing’ your PIN.

• Guard your passwords. Do not give out your passwords to anyone, use strong passwords and do not use the same password for multiple accounts.

• Watch out for phishing emails. Be careful not to click on links in unsolicited emails and texts. For more information on phishing email campaigns that could affect UMBC please check out the DoIT Security page main page for more updated information.

• Make sure that your computer is up-to-date with antivirus and spyware softwares. Always install any updates and patches to your computer's operating system or browser software. These will help to keep your computer safe from malicious softwares.

• Be careful while shopping online. For more information on tips to safely online please check out this article from the Better Business Bureau, https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22474-bbb-warning-be-careful-purchasing-from-unknown-websites-during-covid-19

• Check your credit report at least once a year. According to the article you are entitled to one free report a year from each of the tree reporting bureaus: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. Look for any suspicious activity or inaccuracies. For more information on this please check the BBB article linked below, this article by the Federal Trade Commision (FTC), https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports.

If you do receive any email that you suspect is a scam, please do not click on any URL or reply. Either of those actions confirms to the sender that your email address is valid. Please forward the message (with the email headers) to security@umbc.edu.

How do I forward full email headers?

https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970

For more information, please check out: 

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/10496-bbb-9-tips-to-avoid-id-theft-on-campus

To read more articles published by DOIT visit: 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?tag=notice. 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/home/covid-19-news/?tag=covid19

Initial Scam Message

Follow-up Scam Message

The first email is similar to a recent trend in phishing campaigns that we have recently seen, except this one uses the compromised account holder’s name in the email message and has changed  the subject to “WorkStudy Update!” These campaigns, even if sent from different users with different subjects do seem to have a pattern of using “WorkStudy” in the subject as well as having a similar email format for both messages.

If the user does respond to the first message showing interest, they will receive the second message from a different email address. This is because in the email headers of the first email from the UMBC account, the reply-to is set to the <careerjobsdepartment@outlook.com> so instead of the user emailing the <@umbc.edu> email they are emailing the scammer directly.

The second email contains a link to a malicious site. If you do receive this email please do not click on the URL. In previous similar scams, the scammer is seeking personal information such as name, phone number, email address, home address, age and current occupation.  It also invites the user to ‘tell a bit about themselves’ in a free-form text box.

If you do receive this or any other email that you suspect is a scam, please do not click on any URL or reply. Either of those actions confirms to the sender that your email address is valid. Please forward the message (with the email headers) to security@umbc.edu.

How do I forward full email headers?

https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970

To read more articles published by DOIT visit: 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?tag=notice. 

https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/home/covid-19-news/?tag=covid19

Blackboard has announced a webinar series to help faculty transition to remote teaching. Click here to sign up for the options described below or access this link: https://go.blackboard.com/Instructor-webinar-series.

Who are these webinars for?

This webinar series is designed for Instructors who are just getting started with teaching using Blackboard Learn and Blackboard Collaborate, as well as those who have started to transition to deliver instruction remotely and are looking to make some improvements.

About the webinar series

Many of you had to quickly transition to remote teaching in response to growing concerns on the spread of the coronavirus. The journey to teaching remotely is a process, and we want to ensure you have the tools you need to be successful for both you and your students.

Whether you are brand new to teaching online or looking to make some improvements to what you have started, we designed a set of webinars from basic topics to advanced. We added more topics to help you as you prepare for your next semester.

Getting Started with Blackboard Learn Original Course Experience - Do I have Learn Original?

This webinar is designed to provide you easy step-by-step instructions on how to upload course content, create discussion boards for students to communicate, and provide an overview on the types of online assessments available in Blackboard Learn’s ORIGINAL course experience.

Getting Started with Blackboard Learn Ultra Course Experience - Do I have Learn Ultra?

This webinar is designed to provide you easy step-by-step instructions on how to upload course content, create discussion boards for students to communicate, and provide an overview on the types of online assessments available in Blackboard Learn’s ULTRA course experience.

Getting Started with  Blackboard Collaborate

Moving from in-classroom instruction to the virtual classroom does not have to be difficult or stressful. Blackboard Collaborate Ultra is a web-based communication tool that allows you to continue to engage with your students in real time or even to record sessions for students to watch at a later time. In this 30-minute session, we will review the Collaborate interface and tools that support engaging teaching online.

Getting Started with Bb Annotate: Inline Assignment Grading in Blackboard Learn

Blackboard Learn’s inline assignment grading functionality, currently delivered through a technology called New Box View, will be replaced over the next few months with a new tool called Bb Annotate. Created in partnership with clients around the globe, Bb Annotate will offer a more robust feature set to provide customizable feedback to learners, including a sidebar summary view, freehand drawing tools, various color selections, and much more. Join this webinar to see a demonstration of the new tool and get your questions answered by Blackboard experts.

OFFICE HOURS: Ask the Experts About Blackboard Learn and Collaborate

Have a question on how to do something in Blackboard Learn or Blackboard Collaborate? Join this live Office Hours session where Blackboard experts will be on hand to answer questions, demonstrate workflows and provide guidance on teaching remotely.

Intermediate/Advanced Topics

Assessment & Assignments in Blackboard Learn (Original Course Experience)

This intermediate session will provide a deeper dive into setting up assessments, utilizing different types of assessments and creating gradable assignments within a Blackboard Learn Original experience course. 

Guide to Building Mobile Content (Original & Ultra Course Experiences)

Many students prefer to consume course content on their mobile phone. This webinar is designed to provide you with basic fundamentals for preparing online course content for mobile delivery. Additionally, we will review Blackboard mobile apps and provide you with a helpful worksheet on mobile content development. 

Improving Student Engagement (Original Course Experience)

In the new world of social distancing and limited interaction with others, instructors and students may be missing some accustomed modes of interpersonal communication in courses.  Join a team of Blackboard experts who understand first-hand the demands of a fully online teaching environment—we are eager to help you discover how utilizing tools within Blackboard Learn can encourage meaningful engagement among students and between your students and you!  Effectively use discussion boards, engage students with interactive lectures and quizzes and challenge them to collaborate together in teams and then present their work back to the larger class.  Blackboard’s team of academic professionals have plenty of ideas to share with you and are eager to support you as you consider different ways to promote communication, get your students involved, and to keep them engaged in online classes. 

Setting up the Gradebook  (Original Course Experience)

As you prepare (or continue) to deliver instruction remotely this summer, empower yourself to do so with maximum efficiency by understanding Blackboard Learn’s powerful Grade Center. The Grade Center is more than just a location to record students' grades--it is an interactive tool that allows faculty to filter, sort, and access data , calculate grades, and monitor student progress. Join this session to learn the basics of efficiently managing your students’ work and grades. 

Grading Workflows for Discussions, Assessment  & Assignments  (Original Course Experience)

Let’s face it – grading is possibly one of the least ‘fun’ parts of teaching.  However, now that you’ve created assessments, assignments, and quizzes in Blackboard Learn, the grading process can be easier than ever.  In Blackboard, instructors can provide feedback, post grades, and check the originality of student work with ease.  Discover how much easier it can be to grade papers when you can annotate right within the online course.  You can even provide audio feedback to the student, helping them understand areas of the paper that may need some attention.  Want to set up a quiz to be automatically graded?  You can do that too!  Join us in this informative session on how to use Blackboard’s course tools to make your online teaching experience more efficient, more engaged and less time consuming!

Collaborate Ultra - Beyond the Basics

This webinar will help you move beyond the basics of Blackboard Collaborate and provide an overview of specific use cases and features that will facilitate synchronous interaction with your students. Some features include using breakout rooms, sharing content through your camera, polling, and other features that will help you engage your learners and empower student success.

Click here to register for any of the sessions.

Session Dates

Getting Started with Blackboard Learn Original Course Experience - Do I have Learn Original?

Getting Started with Blackboard Learn Ultra Course Experience - Do I have Learn Ultra?

Getting Started with Blackboard Collaborate

Getting Started with Bb Annotate: Inline Assignment Grading in Blackboard Learn

OFFICE HOURS: Ask the Experts about Blackboard Learn & Collaborate

Assessment & Assignments in Blackboard Learn (Original Course Experience)

Guide to Building Mobile Content (Original & Ultra Course Experiences)

Improving Student Engagement (Original Course Experience)

Setting up the Gradebook (Original Course Experience)

Grading Workflows for Discussions, Assessment & Assignments (Original Course Experience)

Collaborate Ultra - Beyond the Basics

Click here to register for any of these sessions or access the following link: https://go.blackboard.com/Instructor-webinar-series.

Looking for recordings?
Click here to watch past webinar sessions.