IT Alert: Online Holiday Shopping Scams

Dear Members of the University Community,

The Office of Information Technology Services strongly encourages the University Community to be aware of potential online shopping scams and malicious cyber campaigns, particularly when browsing or shopping online. With more commerce occurring online, IT Services reminds the community to remain vigilant. Please be especially cautious of fraudulent sites spoofing reputable businesses, unsolicited emails purporting to be from charities and unencrypted financial transactions. Cyber actors may send emails and ecards containing malicious links or attachments infected with malware or may send spoofed emails requesting support for fraudulent charities or causes.

 Tips for Safe Surfing

The Office of Information Technology Services encourages online shoppers to review the following resources:

• Shopping Safely Online – Click here
• Online Shopping Page – Click here
• Using Caution with Email Attachments – Click here
• Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks – Click here
• The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI’s) - ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Online Shopping Scams - Don't Be a Victim Announcement

Please be vigilant and err on the side of caution and do not open any suspicious attachments and links. Please be careful using your credentials on an unfamiliar or unexpected website(s).

If you have any questions, please contact the Help Desk at 914-674-7526. Cyber security threats are a constant in today’s environment and the University is taking all possible measures to thwart potential issues. If you see something suspicious, please contact the Help Desk.