Tips on spotting a scammer operating like this:
1. Check the sender’s email address – if it isn’t from their @illinois.edu address, write to them directly (i.e. a new message) and ask if they sent the message
2. Grammar and typos. Yes, even Deans and Department Heads make mistakes, but if there are several, and/or the “voice” of the email seems off to you, even if the email is from an @illinois.edu address, contact the sender directly (i.e. a new email) and ask if the message came from them.
3. Check this website for examples of similar messages, like this one. It’s possible a campaign has already been circulated, even though this is your first time receiving one of the emails.
4. When in doubt, and especially if you’ve clicked a link or opened a suspicious attachment, contact your IT support team! We’re always happy to help.
Example of impersonation scam from this weekend (click for larger version):
