Blog Posts

As you begin the Fall term, we’d like to remind you of various cybersecurity threats and scams that target students like you. Cybercriminals target students during Back-to-School season because new students are unfamiliar with the campus environment, and even returning students often let their guard down amidst all the activity and excitement.

Please watch out for these common back-to-school scams:

• Emails mentioning “problems” with your SCU account or class registration asking you to log in to confirm personal information.
• Financial scams targeting students, such as fake scholarships, textbook rentals or downloads often infected with malware, and work-from-home scams.
• IRS impersonators who call demanding immediate payment for fake taxes (Tip: The IRS will ALWAYS reach out by postal mail first).
• Phishing emails and text messages with links to fake login pages designed to steal your password.

How to stay safe:

• When possible, protect your accounts with 2-Factor Authentication (2FA). New this year! All students can protect their SCU accounts with Duo 2FA. More info is available at https://www.scu.edu/duo. Many personal accounts also offer 2FA. Check the list at https://twofactorauth.org.
• Be skeptical of requests for private information, account alerts, financial aid offers, and job offers. Verify any suspicious requests via the SCU office through phone or in person. Forward questionable emails to the Technology Help Desk at techdesk@scu.edu for assistance.
• Keep passwords private and secure. Use different, long passwords for each account, and consider using a password manager.

More information:

• SCU’s Office of Student Life has housing scam info on their website: https://www.scu.edu/osl/off-campus-living/off-campus-housing/.
• FCC’s “10 Things You Can Do to Avoid Fraud”: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0060-10-things-you-can-do-avoid-fraud.
• FCC’s “How to Spot, Avoid, and Report Tech Support Scams”: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-spot-avoid-and-report-tech-support-scams.
• IRS Warning about bogus “Student Federal Tax”: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-warns-of-latest-scam-variation-involving-bogus-federal-student-tax.
• Scholarship scams: http://www.fraud.org/back_to_school_scams.
• “Tuition payment processor” scams (From 2016 but still current): https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwasik/2016/09/11/scam-alert-avoid-college-payment-processors/.

To report any phishing emails targeting your SCU account or other cybersecurity concerns with SCU applications or network resources, please contact the Technology Help Desk at x5700 or techdesk@scu.edu.

Best wishes for a successful and cyber-safe academic year!