Phishing email alert 

A computer science classroom with chairs removed for physical distancing on Aug. 14, 2020. Staff have been working to set up classrooms and other public spaces on the UW-Whitewater campus for social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)

UW-WHITEWATER PHOTO/CRAIG SCHREINER

A computer science classroom with chairs removed for physical distancing on Aug. 14, 2020. Staff have been working to set up classrooms and other public spaces on the UW-Whitewater campus for social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)

There is a current phishing attack circulating campus that we would like to make you aware of.  The email is claiming to come from Interim Chancellor Greg Cook and asking for your cell phone number in order to send you a text.

DO NOT ENGAGE any further with this email. This is a scam!

Phishing scams are designed to get you to respond to the email and provide personal/financial information. Recently, more detailed scams are coming from someone who is impersonating a UW-Whitewater staff or faculty member. Cybercriminals are often able to impersonate someone from UW-Whitewater in order to attempt to steal your information or compromise your UW-Whitewater credentials.

Never provide any personal information, and take the time to look at the entire message before you decide to respond. Below are some tips for spotting these scams.

Phishing attacks can be spotted by looking for a few clues including:

  • Is the offer too good to be true?
  • The email address is not coming from their UW-Whitewater account.
  • Generic greetings/generic signature.
  • Offering money or a job, asking for your personal info, or your help.
  • The message is urgent or very important and you must act immediately.
  • Check the user’s email address and make sure you recognize them.
  • Look for grammatical errors, many times the attacker will rush to get the message out.
  • Anything suspicious at all, do not respond.
  • When in doubt, please contact the Help Desk!

Never give out your personal information through an email, especially to someone whom you do not know. Cybercriminals will use this info against you to steal from you, copy your identity or sell your info to other criminals.

If you see any suspicious emails, please attach them and send them to [email protected].

Please contact the Help Desk if you have any questions, [email protected], or call 262 472 4357