Scam Warnings

Subject

Content/Attachment

More information

Email: 

Up

Message that an email account was temporarily blocked because of unusual activity. A link is provided to verify the account in order to unblock it.  

This is a phishing scam. Do not click on the link provided or enter your UP login credentials.

Although UP may temporarily block an account displaying unusual activity, you will never be requested to click on a link in an email to reactivate such an account. 

Email:

Letter of demand

A link is provided to view a letter of demand from 'SARS Debt Collector'. The recipient is threatened with court summons and blacklisting. 

This is a phishing attempt. Do not click on the link provided in the email.

Click here for more information on this scam.

Facebook group: 

Response to student queries

Students aksing questions on an unofficial Facebook group for UP students get offers of help from other members of the group, who then request them to provide them with their student numbers and passwords.  

Click here for more information on this scam.

These are attempts to steal your login credentails.

Never disclose your password to anyone. If you had done so, change your password immediately.  

When doing business with UP by email, always ensure that the recipient is using a up.ac.za email account. 

Email: 

Reference: SPF3527283

A message, apparently from Samsung in South Korea, requesting the recipient to read an attached message and to contact their banker for a payment.    The attachments are safe, but falsely inform the recipient of a promotional gift of One Million British Pounds. Do not engage with the sender, and mark the email as spam.  

Email:

Urgent notification

A warning, seeming to be from UP, stating that  your account had been accessed from a foreign country and providing a link to 'secure your account if this wasn't you'. 

The email is not from UP and is a phishing scam. Do not respond, but mark it as spam. 

Recipients who have responded by logging in using the provided link, should change their passwords immediately. 

Email:

Account suspension

Warning that your account will be 'disconnected' and containing a link allegedly providing instructions on how to resolve the issue. This is a phishing attempt. The request should be ignored and marked as spam. 

Email:

Proof of payment for outstanding amount

Message with an attachment requiring the recipient to log in to review a 'proof of payment'.   This is a common phishing attempt. The message  should be ignored and marked as spam. 

Email:

Hey Future Tuks Graduate ... 

Invitation to students to subscribe to a scheme promising great rewards for students who successfully graduate This looks like a dubious scheme and recipients are strongly advised not to respond. Please mark the email as spam to enable Google to identify the message as such.    

Email:

The recipient's address is displayed as the subject

Message to verify the account for some or other reason. A link is provided for sign on to 'revalidate' the account.  This is a phishing attempt. Recipients should never click on links provided or enter their login credentials. Recipients who have responded by logging in using the provided link, should change their passwords immediately. 

Email:

Notifications from SARS

During the tax return season fraudulent email notifcations appearing to be from SARS abound. See the SARS website for more information.  https://www.sars.gov.za/targeting-tax-crime/scams-and-phishing/

Email:

Sa-l-ar-y|-fo-rm up~-4036
A short message to review an attached form. The attached form appears to include payroll information, but was not sent from the UP Salary Division. Its purpose may be the distribution of malware or phishing.  

Email:

Your mailbox is restricted

Verify email account to release undelivered mail

Action requested to release mail not delivered to the recipients inbox, or to sync content to a quarantined device. These are phishing attempts. Recipients should not click on links provided or enter their login credentials. Recipients who have responded by logging in using the links provided, should change their passwords immediately. 

Email:

Did the postman drop anything with you?

Do you have a minute? 

Quick assistance needed please

Request for an urgent EFT payment

An unusual, short and urgent message seemingly from a senior manager to a staff member reporting to them. https://www.sans.org/security-awareness-training/resources/ceo-fraudbec

E-mail:

Critical security alert

Message from Google that a sign-in attempt to a Google account was blocked

This message could be a legitimate alert from Google or a phishing scam. On receipt, do not use the link provided to check the reported sign-in attempt, but go directly to your Account by clicking on your  photo or logo at the top right of your opened Gmail account. 

 https://nordvpn.com/blog/google-critical-security-alert/

Email: 

Multichoice DStv Explora Reference Code Number

Notification of a gift card as a cash-back reward to selected DStv customers https://www.dstv.co.za/whats-on/news/articles/dont-be-the-victim-of-a-scam/

Equipment:

Compromised Wi-Fi router

Cybercriminals may hi-jack your Wi-Fi router or  unauthorised people may use your router and data to browse the Internet   How to secure your Wi-Fi router

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