Scams can on take many forms. The UW–Madison Police Department shares a few of the most common scams reported on campus—and tips to protect yourself.
Scams
12/20 phishing alert! Subject: “Salary Increase Notification”
There’s an active phishing campaign on campus in which the attacker impersonates a payroll & employees relations specialist sending information about a pay increase. The email asks recipients to click a link.
Buyer beware: email from financial consultant lead-generation service
While this isn’t a phishing attempt or outright fraud, it’s at best a hidden—and therefore misleading—marketing attempt we want you to be aware of.
Scam alert: phishing attempts to access NetID & MFA-Duo credentials
Beware of phishing attempts to access your MFA-Duo credentials. If you fall for the scam, criminals could then attempt to reroute your direct deposit information.
10/20 phishing alert! Subject: “[Not Virus Scanned] 16.89 % Salary Increase Letter 20 October 2023”
There’s an active phishing campaign on campus in which the attacker impersonates a payroll & employees relations specialist sending information about a pay increase. The email asks recipients to click an attached PDF.
8/19 phishing alert! Subject: “Open position & student welfare”
Watch out for an active phishing campaign on campus in which the attacker offers a a part-time, work-from-home job.
4/7 phishing alert! Subject: “Alert: Possible Exposure to Monkeypox Virus at the University”
In an active phishing campaign to UW email addresses, scammers prompt you to enter your NetID and password on a fake profile page. The scammers then use this information to change your direct deposit information.
11/29 phishing alert! Subject: “Your $3500 from The University of Wisconsin”
There’s an active phishing campaign on campus in which the attacker impersonates a benefits specialist offering a $3,500 end-of-year bonus. The email asks recipients to click a link leading to a fake benefits site where they’re prompted to enter login information.
11/9 spam & tech support scam alert: Adult themed email from .ru domains
The Cybersecurity Operations Center and Information Technology’s Office 365 email team have been tracking an increase in spam email messages promoting adult websites. Some of these messages include links to tech support scam webpages.
8/29 phishing alert! Subject: “School Job Offer”
Watch out for an active phishing campaign on campus in which the attacker offers a a part-time, work-from-home job.