Phishing Alert: Office 365 and Fake Job Opportunity Scams | Information Technology | University of Pittsburgh
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Phishing Alert: Office 365 and Fake Job Opportunity Scams

Thursday, October 27, 2022 - 17:06

 

Pitt Information Technology is aware of two new phishing scams targeting the University of Pittsburgh community.

Office 365 Scam

The first scam, which appears to originate from a pitt.edu address, claims recipients have been detected logging in to Office 365 from two different universities. The Subject of the message is typically blank. Below is a sample of the scam:

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Subject:

Potential unauthorized login access  your office 365 has two different logins with two universities'..We notice some unusual activity on your account. You are advised to keep the same 2  password using the below button to avoid losing your data. IT SUPPORT OFFICE365 to resolve this issue..Make Sure You Fill The Correct login

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Clicking on the link in the email opens a malicious Google document like the one shown below that encourages recipients to log in and provide their usernames and passwords for multiple accounts.

Job Opportunity Scam

The second scam also appears to originate from a pitt.edu address and advertises a fictitious job as a personal assistant. The message may use a variety of Subjects and contains an application link to a malicious Google document that asks recipients to provide personal contact information for follow-up. Below is a sample of the scam:

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Subject: WORK WITH US

An administrative assistant to perform various administrative tasks like making or receiving payment, keeping record and processing paperwork when necessary with a good weekly pay is needed,  Please find the position and some basic information below..WORK WITH US..Consultant has received, reviewed, and evaluated your resume and you have been shortlisted for an online application

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Clicking on the link in the email opens a malicious Google document like the one shown below:

Reporting Scams

If you received these messages (or any message similar to them), please report them as a phishing scam by forwarding the email message as an attachment to phish@pitt.edu. Detailed instructions on reporting scams are available at http://technology.pitt.edu/phishingscams.

Pitt IT strongly recommends that you do not reply to unsolicited emails or emails from unverifiable sources. If you were not expecting to receive such an email, confirm with the sender prior to interacting with the message. If you must interact with the message, avoid clicking on links contained in such emails. These may lead to sites that contain malicious software, or sites that attempt to steal your credentials. If a link looks suspicious, you can hover over the link with your mouse to preview the URL without clicking on it.

In addition, Pitt IT recommends that all students, faculty, and staff install Antivirus and Anti-Malware (Malwarebytes) Protection. Departments can submit a help request to obtain Malwarebytes for multiple machines.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.