Message from the Information Security Office Regarding Scams and Phishing

UNO students, faculty, and staff should be on alert for fraudulent "phishing" emails designed to steal credentials for university and banking websites. The “phishing” emails are sent directly to individuals rather than “spamming” a large group of people. The link they are directed to is usually a site that is made to look like a trusted site, such as a Facebook login page or online email login site. This week’s message is masquerading as Blackboard. After putting credentials into the site they then have the means to compromise other sites and change banking information accessed by the individual. The Subject line reads “Directory” or “Mailbox Quota Exceeded.”

In addition to this there are have been multiple reports of scams and fraud being perpetrated against our students, faculty, and staff. Please always check into any phone calls that claim to be technical support or a job posting that indicate jobs that are remotely managed or the hiring manager won’t actually talk to you on the phone.

Some additional ways to ensure you stay safe online and protect yourself against scams:

• Always log in from a trusted URL rather than clicking a link in an email.
• Don’t access links from within emails that you may not trust or know.
• Use different passwords at work than what you use for personal accounts.
• Check links by “hovering” over them before clicking to see their true destination.
• Verify the sender by hovering over the sender’s name in Outlook to reveal the actual sender.
• If you receive a phone call ask them for a verification of the service or ask someone else if you feel it sounds too good to be true.

You may contact the Information Security Office (402-554-2492) or Information Services Technical Support (402-554-4357) if you have any questions.