UC warns that phishing email schemes are on rise

Cyber criminals constantly search for access to your personal information. They cast their nets wide – more than 100 million malicious emails find their way into inboxes each day.

Their target: your username, password and personal information.

Take caution and follow these five tips from the Office of Information Security:

1. UC will NEVER ask for your username, password or Social Security number by email.
2. UC will NEVER ask you to purchase gift cards by email or to email photos of gift cards.
3. Do not click on links or open attachments from suspicious or unfamiliar email accounts.
   • Phishers will often use familiar-sounding external email accounts (such as ucpresident@gmail.com or president00@my.com) to trick you.
   • Phishers will often misspell email addresses or the content of the email may not make sense.
4. When in doubt – ask! Forward suspicious messages to abuse@uc.edu (mailto:abuse@uc.edu).
5. To learn more about phishing, visit UC's Office of Information Security’s Phishing Awareness web page, read UCPD’s Online and Phone Scams webpage or watch the Don’t Get Hooked (Phishing) video.

If you receive an email or a telephone call asking you to purchase gift cards, deposit a check or give up personal information, be skeptical. Verify the request with the individual directly, call the company using a reputable phone number or forward the email to the Office of Information Security abuse@uc.edu (mailto:abuse@uc.edu).