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Email scams targeting BU email addresses

The鈥痟igher education sector has recently seen another听surge in cyber-attacks听with the National Cyber Security Centre听.听BU has also seen a听large increase in the number of听scam emails听targeting BU email addresses, with over听15,500 scam emails听received in March alone.听听

It鈥檚 more important than ever for听both听BU, and for us as individuals,听to take decisive action to harden defences against cyber-attacks.鈥疘t鈥檚 everyone鈥檚 responsibility to understand the risks and to take action to prevent them.听Working together we can help protect BU and protect each other from email scams.听

Stop email scammers in their tracks听

  • Check the email sender听鈥撎齀s the email听sender听impersonating someone you know?听Do you听recognise the email address of the听sender?听Does听it听look suspicious?听Is the email posing to be from a company, but sent from an @gmail or @hotmail address? All of these are warning signs that the email is a scam.听听
  • Stop and inspect all听hyperlinks听before clicking -听Get into the habit of hovering over them first to check where it鈥檚 taking you听to听or what you鈥檙e downloading.听听
  • Don鈥檛 click any link you are not 100% sure about听- especially on mobile devices where it鈥檚 difficult to verify a weblink. Take a look at our guidance on鈥�.鈥�
  • Beware of听attachments听that听could be malicious听-听be vigilant when it comes to email attachments and opening files that you鈥檝e been sent over social media or text. Beware of files that ask you to听听and don鈥檛 open a file that comes from anyone you are not expecting a file from.听

Here is a听recent examples of a scam email targeting BU accounts, highlighting some of the warning signs:听

听Reporting -听Tell us about any suspicious emails听

  • If you听receive any emails that look suspicious,听do not reply or click on any links.听Instead, please forward the email to听[email protected]听for investigation.听
  • If you accidently click on a link or an attachment, then realise something isn鈥檛 right 鈥� report it听immediately. Contact IT Services on 01202 965515 or听freephone 0808 196 2332.听听
  • If you suspect that you are the victim of a personal cyber-attack e.g. financial fraud, extortion or a scam, contact your bank, and/or听听as soon as possible.听

For further guidance about staying safe online, visit our鈥�helpful听IT听information鈥痯ages.鈥�