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From: University Information and Technology

Dear OSU Students,

The Office of Information Security is committed to protecting the Oregon State University community. Cyber threats are routinely aimed at students.  We to inform you about a recent increase in phishing e-mails that target OSU students with fake job offers. These e-mails are initiated by cyber scammers who pretend to be legitimate employers and are designed to trick you into providing your personal information, including your Social Security number, bank account details or passwords.

These e-mails look professional and convincing, but they often have red flags that can help you identify them as fraudulent. For example, they may:

  • Ask you to pay a fee or buy equipment before you start working.
  • Offer you a high salary for a low-skill or part-time job.
  • Use poor grammar, spelling or punctuation.
  • Use generic or mismatched sender names, domains or logos.
  • May use what appears to be an OSU staff or faculty member’s e-mail, but the display doesn’t match the e-mail address or the e-mail address doesn’t follow OSU formatting.
  • May include a QR code to respond to the fraudulent offer.
  • May ask you to contact the cyber scammer using your personal e-mail address or by text using your phone.

If you receive a suspicious e-mail, you are encouraged to report it to the Office of Information Security using the “Report a Message” feature in Outlook, Outlook Web Access or the Outlook Mobile app.  If you would like to ask a question about an e-mail or text you have received, please contact [email protected], and the Security team will respond to assist you.

Respectfully,

David

David McMorries, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Information Security
Oregon State University | University Information and Technology | 541-737-9561

Send Date: 
Thursday, May 2, 2024