TU Today

Scam Alert: health-related and pandemic-themed phishing and scams on the rise

The Office of Information Security (OIS) reminds the TU community to be aware of phishing emails and online ads during this unusual time. Hackers are taking advantage to increase their phishing attempts regarding this global pandemic to trick you into giving up personal information or downloading a malicious attachment. OIS urges the TU community to be #CyberAware by only visiting Towson University’s official website, or trusted official government websites like CDC.gov, for updates on the coronavirus. Don’t fall for it!

Examples of phishing attempts that you may receive include:

• Solicitations for donations to aid people or impacted communities.
• Products that claim to protect against the virus or provide a cure.
• Attempts to trick you into giving up your TU or personal account credentials.
• Promises of helpful information that will take you to a malicious website impersonated by a reputable source.

What should you do to protect yourself and the University?  

• Be extra cautious with any Coronavirus communication that does not come from Towson University or official government agency.
• Do not click on links or fulfill any unusual request. Be suspicious of unexpected links, ads, or attachments.
• Continue reporting all suspicious emails to OIS by using the ‘Report Phish’ button in Outlook or by forwarding the email to phishing@towson.edu. 

For more information on recognizing suspicious emails and for real life examples, visit www.towson.edu/phishing. If you would like an OIS team member to give an interactive security awareness or phishing Webex presentation to your group or department, submit a TechHelp service request or email securityawareness@towson.edu.

Categorised in: General

This post was written by Weldon, Jennifer