UCF InfoSec continues to receive reports of scam and phishing emails targeting students. The most recently reported scam involves a message offering a paid part-time pet sitter/pet walker position.
- How does the scam work?
Once the victim responds, the scammer will send a check and ask that a portion of the funds be wired back. Sending money via a payment app or wire transfer is almost instantaneous, but it may take several days for the bank to process the check. By the time the bank notifies the victim that the check is fraudulent, the victim’s money and the scammer are gone.
- How can I avoid becoming a victim?
If you did not apply for a job, view any messages promising one with suspicion. Remember, an unsolicited offer of employment may be a scam if it:
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- offers to send you a check and requests that you wire back a portion of the funds; don’t be fooled just because they’re sending you a check first!
- sends an offer to your student email but requires you to respond using your personal email.
- promises large income for minimal work.
- How can I protect my account and my fellow Knights?
Scammers prefer sending these scam and phishing messages from other student accounts to make them appear more legitimate. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can make it more difficult for scammers to compromise your account and use it to send phishing emails. Learn more here: https://infosec.ucf.edu/identity-management/multi-factor-authentication/ .
- How can I report these phishing emails?
If you receive such an email, report it to the UCF Security Incident Response Team by forwarding it as an attachment to SIRT@ucf.edu . To learn more, please see https://infosec.ucf.edu/scam/ . Please inform your fellow Knights, friends and family to help protect themselves against cyber threats and predatory scam artists.