There is a scam campaign going around this week encouraging people to update and validate their Office accounts. This is not a legitimate message and you should not click the link or enter your credentials in the site it goes to. If you do click the link and your password is compromised, it will be […]
Phishing Alerts
Scam: Incentive Payout Plan
Another version of the “sent from yourself, blank with only an attachment” scam campaign is circulating today. Please be vigilant about emails in this format, especially ones offering too-good-to-be-true benefits or urging immediate action to avoid dire consequences. Check with your local IT support for a second opinion before taking any action, and use the […]
Scam: “Urgent-System Maintenance And User Verification
A phishing campaign email is going around prompting people to update their Office 365 portal/account details to avoid losing access. This is not a legitimate message. Do not click any links or provide any login credentials! Report the message as spam in Outlook and delete it.
Scam alert: “Revalidate Your System Login Credentials”
Over the past week, we have observed an uptick in scams urging Illinois employees to update login credentials, MFA settings, and direct deposit details. These messages often take the form of a calendar invite with an attachment, rather than an email with links. If you receive an unexpected calendar invite about any of the above […]
MASSMAIL – Security Alert – Social Engineering Attempt Targeting Employees via Text Message
Dear colleagues, We are making you aware of a recent social engineering attempt targeting employees via text message. The messages are similar to this: “Hi , let me know if you received my text. – Thanks, “ Please be aware that these messages are not legitimate. This is a fraudulent attempt to impersonate university leadership and solicit […]
You’re invited: Join School Meeting (All School Staff)
A fake Teams meeting invite has been circulating today. Please be vigilant when receiving invites, especially unexpected ones, especially ones that contain attachments. When in doubt, reach out to your local IT support or security@illinois.edu.
Staff Assessment Report for 2025-2026
Heads-up, there is a phishing campaign going around that is prompting people to click through and log in to a fake authentication screen. Once they log in, their accounts are compromised and used to send the same fake email to people in their address book. DO NOT CLICK the link, and DO NOT SIGN IN […]
The American RedCross is Hiring Part time
FYI, there’s a phishing email campaign going around with a Word attachment purporting to be a remote job opportunity with the Red Cross. Please use the “Report Spam” feature of Outlook and do not open the attachment, click any links inside, or reply to the emails.
Awareness Notice: Extortion scams
Technology Services has seen the rise of a type of phishing message that appear especially threatening. These phishing emails, called extortion or blackmail scams, say that they will reveal embarrassing or incriminating information, images or videos if the recipient doesn’t pay up. While these types of messages are not new, scammers have begun including additional information […]
Inspection Referral (with PPT attachment)
Students and staff both report a widespread malicious email campaign today. The body of the email is blank and there is a PowerPoint (.ppt) slide deck file attached. Inside the slide deck is a malicious link; DO NOT CLICK IT. If you mistakenly clicked the link, please reach out to security@illinois.edu as soon as possible […]