TU Today

Tax season is here – and so are the phishing scams

Don’t fall for it! The Office of Information Security (OIS) in the Office of Technology Services (OTS) reminds the campus to be aware of all phishing emails – especially tax-related communications that may be sent to your TU or personal email accounts.

I’ve received a suspicious email about my tax documents or refund, now what?

• Don’t respond to emails appearing to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through email, text messages, or social media to request personal or financial information. Learn more about current scams on the IRS website.
• Don’t open unexpected attachment(s) or click on any of the links. If the email appears to be from a TU department (e.g. Payroll Office), contact the office directly before performing any actions.
• Report suspicious emails. If you received an unsolicited email or an email claiming to be from the IRS in your TU email account, report it using the ‘Report Phish’ button or by forwarding it to phishing@towson.edu.

If you’re concerned your TU account information or TU device might’ve been compromised:  

• Contact the OTS Faculty/Staff Help Center at 410-704-5151 or submit a TechHelp service request.
• If you’ve fallen victim to Identity Theft, please contact the Towson University Police Department (TUPD) at 410-704-4444 or police@towson.edu.
• To report a financial red flag or the suspected identity theft of a TU customer, complete and submit the Identity Theft Incident Report.

 For more information on recognizing suspicious emails and for real life examples, visit  towson.edu/phishing. Request an interactive security awareness presentation for your group or department by submitting a TechHelp service request.

Categorised in: General

This post was written by Weldon, Jennifer