Recently, the Division of Information Technology(DoIT) received multiple reports of job phishing emails. The scammers sending these emails are impersonating Professor Brodsky of the Department of Psychology. Below is an example of such an email. For privacy purposes, we removed the To field.

Please note that the Psychology Department or Professor Brodsky did not send this message. Three visible red flags in this email are:

1. The From address is not a UMBC email. If the Psychology Department or Prof. Brodsky were sending this email, the From address would have been a UMBC email address. However, it was sent from <hollywoodardshop@gmail.com>, which is not a UMBC affiliate. Please note that it could have been spoofed, even if it appears to originate from a UMBC email. Therefore, always check with DoIT(security@umbc.edu) or email/contact the impersonated person on a completely different email when you see a conflict in the address.

2. Phone number.  A lot of scammers will ask for your phone number. If their number gets reported, they could easily get a new one. If you ever receive a job offer asking for a phone number in general,  BE SUSPICIOUS!

3. The email template. This template is widespread. After a quick Google search, we found a few Job scam articles with the same template. So if you are ever in doubt, GOOGLE IT! UMBC will not use a known phishing template to offer you a job opportunity.

For more information about phishing, visit https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?id=98136.

If you have received any message similar to the one listed above, please forward it with its headers tosecurity@umbc.edu. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Receive any suspicious emails?

Forward it to security@umbc.edu along with the email headers. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity.

Recently, the Division of Information Technology(DoIT) received multiple reports of job phishing emails. The scammers sending these emails are impersonating Professor Brodsky of the Department of Psychology. Below is an example of such an email. For privacy purposes, we removed the To field.

Please note that the Psychology Department or Professor Brodsky did not send this message. Three visible red flags in this email are:

1. The From address is not a UMBC email. If the Psychology Department or Prof. Brodsky were sending this email, the From address would have been a UMBC email address. However, it was sent from <hollywoodardshop@gmail.com>, which is not a UMBC affiliate. Please note that it could have been spoofed, even if it appears to originate from a UMBC email. Therefore, always check with DoIT(security@umbc.edu) or email/contact the impersonated person on a completely different email when you see a conflict in the address.

2. Phone number.  A lot of scammers will ask for your phone number. If their number gets reported, they could easily get a new one. If you ever receive a job offer asking for a phone number in general,  BE SUSPICIOUS!

3. The email template. This template is widespread. After a quick Google search, we found a few Job scam articles with the same template. So if you are ever in doubt, GOOGLE IT! UMBC will not use a known phishing template to offer you a job opportunity.

For more information about phishing, visit https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?id=98136.

If you have received any message similar to the one listed above, please forward it with its headers tosecurity@umbc.edu. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Receive any suspicious emails?

Forward it to security@umbc.edu along with the email headers. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity.

The Division of Information Technology( DoIT) recently received reports of new phishing campaign. The email informs the recipients of a “Server System failure” and asks them to “Review messages.” Below is an example of the email. We removed the recipient’s information for privacy reasons.

This email is not legitimate. It was sent by <gary3123@gvtc.com>, who is trying to impersonate someone at UMBC. We have not experienced a server system failure that requires you to review your messages. However, if you have trouble receiving messages, please contact us at security@umbc.edu.  

The “Review Messages” link in the email will take you to the website shown in the picture below. Please note that this page is not affiliated with UMBC. If you enter your UMBC email and password, your account can be compromised. 

Please DO NOT CLICK on the link if you have received this email. However, if you have clicked on the link, DO NOT ENTER your password. If you entered your UMBC password, immediately change your password. 

If you have received any message similar to the one listed above, please forward it with its headers tosecurity@umbc.edu. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Remember that scams work by appealing to emotions and discouraging prolonged thought. Starting out with "Immediate Action Required" is intended to do just that. The hope is that you are approaching panic before you even open up the message. Beware anything that looks intended to appeal to your feelings rather than your reason.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Receive any suspicious emails?

Forward it to security@umbc.edu along with the email headers. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity.

Recently, UMBC’s Division of Information Technology (DoIT) received a report of a new phishing campaign. The actors compromised Professor Kang's account and sent out a job phishing scam. Approximately 1700 accounts received this email message. Below is an example of the email. We removed the To field for privacy purposes.

As mentioned above, the email was sent from Professor Kang’s account; however, he is not the one sending the messages. His account was compromised. The contact email in the message <covidvaccine.ads@gmail.com> does not belong to Professor Kang. Therefore, any response sent to this email will not go to Professor Kang. A similar email template to the one above can be found online with a simple Google search. If you are ever in doubt about your emails, Google it. Companies, facilities, or staff will not send out job offers with known phishing templates.

If you have received any message similar to the one listed above, please forward it with its headers tosecurity@umbc.edu. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Receive any suspicious emails?

Forward it to security@umbc.edu along with the email headers. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity.

Over the past weeks, we have seen an increase in compromised accounts. So, here at UMBC’s Division of Information Technology (DoIT), we thought it was imperative to share some tips on safeguarding your UMBC accounts.

1. Change your password frequently, maybe once a year. Most of the community members at UMBC do not change their passwords yearly. If hackers try to compromise your account more than once over a specific period, they will have less chance of succeeding if you change your password frequently.

2. Do not use the same password on multiple sites. If you are a victim of a data breach for one of these sites, the hackers now have your password for all those sites, your UMBC account included. After a breach, always update your password. To check if you were involved in a data breach, visit sites such as  https://haveibeenpwned.com/.  Also, given that the usual purpose of identity theft is the theft of something else (like money), keep an eye on your bank account and/or credit card activity.

3. Do not share your password with anyone. When trying to keep your account secure, trust no one with our password.  “No one” means “NO ONE”. Not your parents, not your kid brother, not your significant other.  If someone else needs access to your financial information, please follow the directions at https://sbs.umbc.edu/payments/parent-pin-login/.

4. Install DUO. DUO is a two-factor authentication available at UMBC to help protect your account. For more information, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/display/faq/Two-Factor+Authentication+with+DUO. Two-factor authentication is currently one of the most effective and affordable ways to secure your UMBC (or any other) online account.

5. Create strong passwords. Do not use the name of a person, organization or your favorite anime character.  Also,, use uppercase letters, lowercase letters, symbols, and numbers to strengthen your password.  

Hopefully, these five steps will help you secure your UMBC and other accounts. For more information about password security, visit https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/password-protection/102105/.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Receive any suspicious emails?

Forward it to security@umbc.edu along with the email headers. For instructions, visit https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity.

Recently, the Division of Information Technology(DoIT) received multiple reports of a job phishing email. The scammers sending these emails are impersonating Professor Brewster of the Department of Biological Sciences. Below is an example of such an email. For privacy purposes, we removed the To field.

Please note that the Biological Sciences Department or Professor Brewster did not send this message. Three visible red flags in this email are:

1. Whatsapp number.  A lot of scammers will ask for your WhatsApp number. If their number gets reported, they could easily create a new one. The same can be said for an email address; however, if their email is blocked, they will lose responses from other phishing email recipients. If you ever receive a job offer asking for a WhatsApp number or a phone number in general,  BE SUSPICIOUS!

2. The email template. This template is very common. After a quick Google search, we found a few Job scams articles with the same template. So if you are ever in doubt, Google it! UMBC will not use a known phishing template to offer you a job opportunity.

For more information about phishing, visit:https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?id=98136.

If you have received any message similar to the one listed above, please forward it with its headers tosecurity@umbc.edu. For instructions, visit: https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Receive any suspicious emails?

Forward it to security@umbc.edu along with the email headers. For instructions, visit: https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity.

Recently, the Division of Information Technology(DoIT) received multiple reports of a job scam phishing email. The scammers are offering a position as a Personal Assistant. Below is an example of the phishing email. We removed the To field for privacy purposes.

Other than the usual red flags (spelling, spacing, and grammatical errors), another potential red flag is the email’s content. This email template is very common among scammers. After a quick Google search, we found a few Job scams articles with the same template. So, if you are ever in doubt about an email, Google it! Real job offers would not use a well-known phishing template when offering you a job opportunity. 

As usual, if you receive any similar messages, please forward them with the headers tosecurity@umbc.edu. For instructions, visit: https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity for the latest security updates.

“Crypto Purchasing Assistant Needed - Apply if Interested"

 The Division of Information Technology(DoIT) recently received multiple reports of a job scam phishing message. The scammers are offering a position as  a Virtual Executive Assistant to purchase cryptocurrency. An example of the phishing email can be found below. We removed the To and From fields for privacy reasons.

Notice that the formatting seems off. The format of the email is a red flag for a potential scam. Spelling, grammatical errors, awkward wording or phrasing are some of the most suspicious details about phishing emails. This email contains such errors as well as random line breaks. An actual job offer will not have these kinds of mistakes. Always be suspicious of emails that are written similarly.

For more information about the red flags in phishing emails, visit:https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?id=98136.

If you have received any message similar to the one listed above, please forward it with its headers tosecurity@umbc.edu. For instructions, visit: https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Receive any suspicious emails?

Forward it to security@umbc.edu along with the email headers. For instructions, visit: https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity.

Recently, the Division of Information Technology(DoIT) received multiple reports of a job phishing email. The scammers sending these emails are impersonating Professor Mendelson of the Department of Biological Sciences. Below is an example of such an email. For privacy purposes, we removed the To field.

Please note that the Biological Sciences Department or Professor Mendelson did not send this message. Three visible red flags in this email are:

1. The From address is not a UMBC email. If the Biological Sciences Department or Prof. Mendelson were sending this email, the From address would have been a UMBC email address. However, it was sent from <majorodstanley@gmail.com>, which is not a UMBC affiliate. Please note that it could have been spoofed, even if it appears to originate from a UMBC email. Therefore, always check with DoIT(security@umbc.edu) or email/contact the impersonated person on a completely different email when you see a conflict in the address.

2. Whatsapp number.  A lot of scammers will ask for your WhatsApp number. If their number gets reported, they could easily create a new one. The same can be said for an email address; however, if their email is blocked, they will lose responses from other phishing email recipients. If you ever receive a job offer asking for a WhatsApp number or a phone number in general,  BE SUSPICIOUS!

3. The email template. This template is very common. After a quick Google search, we found a few Job scams articles with the same template. So if you are ever in doubt, Google it! UMBC will not use a known phishing template to offer you a job opportunity.

For more information about phishing, visit:https://itsecurity.umbc.edu/critical/?id=98136.

If you have received any message similar to the one listed above, please forward it with its headers tosecurity@umbc.edu. For instructions, visit: https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Receive any suspicious emails?

Forward it to security@umbc.edu along with the email headers. For instructions, visit: https://wiki.umbc.edu/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=1867970.

Follow us on myUMBC:https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/itsecurity.