Information about a nationwide email scam targeting university employees and students

Posted Jan. 15, 2015 at 1:36 p.m.

The FBI has issued an alert regarding scams that are targeting university employees and students nationwide.

University employees are receiving fraudulent e-mails indicating a change in their human resource status. The e-mail contains a link directing the employee to log in to their human resources website to identify this change. The website provided appears very similar to the legitimate site in an effort to steal the employee’s credentials. Once the employee enters his/her login information, the scammer takes that information and signs into the employee’s official human resources account to change the employee’s direct deposit information. This redirects the employee’s paycheck to the bank account of another individual involved in the scam.

Students have been receiving e-mails to their school accounts recruiting them for payroll and/or human resource positions with fictitious companies. The “position” simply requires the student to provide his/her bank account number to receive a deposit and then transfer a portion of the funds to another bank account. Unbeknownst to the student, the other account is involved in the scam that the student has now helped perpetrate. The funds that the student receives and directs elsewhere have been stolen by cyber criminals. Participating in the scam is a crime and could lead to the student’s bank account being closed due to fraudulent activity or federal charges.

Suspicious emails can be forwarded to phish@appstate.edu for review. In addition, visit
http://security.appstate.edu/threats/phishing for more information about phishing.

Be aware that Information Technology Services’ Enterprise Systems and Application team has implemented new security measures geared toward these direct deposit threats. ITS now asks for additional information, such as date of birth, when direct deposit information is changed in Banner as another layer to validate identity. Also, an email notice is issued from security@appstate.edu when changes to direct deposit information are made.

Detailed information about the nationwide University Employee Payroll Scam is available at http://www.ic3.gov/media/2015/150113-2.aspx.

Information about the scam targeting university students nationwide is available at http://www.ic3.gov/media/2015/150113-1.aspx.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.