Recently, cybercriminals have taken advantage of the popular (and international) online payment platform, PayPal. Cybercriminals are spoofing PayPal to try and steal your personal or financial information.

Cybercriminals in this PayPal ploy send you a phishing email saying that one of your payments didn’t process and that you must act fast. The email contains a phone number allegedly from PayPal, prompting you to call. This phone call appears legitimate, but it’s actually from cybercriminals spoofing PayPal. If you call this number, cybercriminals can trick you into giving away your personal or financial information.

Follow the tips below to stay safe from similar scams:

• Be cautious when giving your financial information to someone over the phone. 
  Instead, avoid using phone numbers provided in emails and navigate to the organization’s official website.
• Be suspicious of emails that contain a sense of urgency. 
  Cybercriminals use a sense of urgency as an attempt to catch you off guard and get you to click or act impulsively.
• Be aware that this type of attack isn’t exclusive to PayPal. 
  Cybercriminals could use this technique to impersonate ANY organization, even the university.

If you have any questions about the topics covered in this week’s OIT Weekly,

contact the OIT HelpDesk online or at 865-974-9900.