Be alert for back-to-school cybersecurity scams

Student News | Tuesday, October 1, 2019

The school year is entering its second full month, but back-to-school scams are still a threat. The expense of returning to school entails far more than the cost of tuition. If you’re on the lookout for the best deals possible, beware: Scammers, spammers, and phishers are looking to outsmart you at every turn.

Watch out for these common scams at this time of the year

Freebies and text message scams
Scams indicating you’ve been awarded a free back-to-school shopping spree

Social media advertisements
Deals and giveaways that seem too good to be true

Requests for your username and password
No matter how legitimate the messages look, no one needs to know your passwords

Tech support scams
Random calls from a supposed “Service Desk” (or even Microsoft or Apple) telling you there’s a problem with your computer or account

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) impersonator scams
Scams demanding you wire money immediately to pay a fake "federal student tax"

Ways to avoid scams and to stay safe

Think before you click
Think twice before you click on links or open attachments

Verify requests for private information
Remember, con artists know how to fake their identity

Protect your passwords
Make passwords strong, don’t share, use different passwords for different accounts

If you get a suspicious email, report it to abuse@cscc.edu or call the IT Support Center at 614-287-5050.

 

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