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Scam Types


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Scams used to be easier to detect without worry. A Nigerian prince asks for a few hundred dollars to give you access to his fortune. But those days are gone, and scammers are in a constant arms race with cybersecurity for your sensitive information. Learn about the different types of scams and how to deal with them.

  • 4 Easy Steps to Stay Secure Online

    This October’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme is “See Yourself in Cyber.” It highlights how individuals, from everyday technology users to cybersecurity professionals, are the first line of defense to thwarting cybercrime. The steps to improving your online cybersecurity are no secret, and you’ve heard them many times.  It never gets old, sharing these reminders: 1.     Watch…

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  • Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022

    All over the United States, people are observing “Cybersecurity Awareness Month” in October. That’s great! There is a WHOLE month devoted to cybersecurity! If only we could make it a National Holiday, a day where hackers take the day off, and everyone is given the day to change ALL their passwords. We can call it…

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  • It’s the Simple Things

    The vast majority of cyberattacks, 98%, start with phishing attacks that contain NO zero-days and NO malware. They simply trick us into clicking on a link or opening an attachment, thereby turning over our passwords to the bad guys. Zero-days are bugs in software that the software company does not know exist. That’s why they’re…

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  • News Related Scams

    Last week, news stories announced that Queen Elizabeth II, known for having the longest reign of any British monarch, passed away at 96. When an influential figure such as the queen passes away, people worldwide will be interested in reading more about their life and death. Cybercriminals take advantage of high-profile news stories to catch…

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  • Zelle Fraud Alert

    Zelle is a popular mobile payment application that allows users to send payments to one another. Like most financial institutions, Zelle alerts users of possible fraud to stop suspicious account activity from happening. However, not all fraud alerts are legitimate, and cybercriminals can impersonate Zelle and send fake fraud alerts to scam you. In a…

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  • Don’t Become a victim!

    Here are a few facts that illustrate the dramatic increase in cybercrime; 2,244 cyberattacks happen daily, according to the University of Maryland! Cyberattacks have increased 37% month-to-month due to the COVID-19 pandemic! An estimated $108M in losses are due to scams in a recent 6-month period. Cybercrime is big business—and happens more often than you…

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  • No! Really! You are a target!

    Cybercriminals are very effective at getting what they want. They have learned that the easiest way around the university’s defenses isn’t hacking and cracking; it’s tricking you into letting them in. They will use everything in their toolbox to implement their attacks. Social engineering is the art of manipulating, influencing, or deceiving you into taking some…

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  • Security Terms

    As the school year gets underway, it is important to be vigilant when checking your email. There are a couple of techniques that scammers are using to steal your information. SPOOFING is the modification of an email so that the message appears to have originated from someone or somewhere other than the actual source. Spoofing is…

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  • You are the TARGET! (No…really…you ARE!)

    Over the summer, several students have fallen victim to phishing scams. Collectively, they have lost thousands of dollars from some very sophisticated scams. You must remain vigilant when reading your email because the scammers have begun posing as UT faculty to get your information, bank account number, and electronic gift cards. This is REAL money!…

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  • RISK – Why We Emphasize Information Security

    Information security is about addressing and reducing IT RISK. It’s easy to overlook risk as a topic when all you hear is talk about passwords, firewalls, encryption, policies, or two-factor authentication. These are all forms of technology used to reduce the IT risk of disclosing information (i.e., university data, personal data) to unauthorized persons. If…

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