Recent Scams and Phishing Attempts

The online safety and security of the University of Guelph community is our top priority. One of the most common methods for cyber criminals to access your personal information is through email phishing scams, where they attempt to lure you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment, try to convince you to share your identity information (e.g. passwords), or try to infect your system with malware.

If you receive a suspected a phishing attempt:

  1. Do not respond or open any links in the email until you have confirmed it is safe.
  2. Check the list of recent scams and phishing attempts below.
  3. If the message you received is not the list, please tell us. Forward the message to the CCS Help Centre at IThelp@uoguelph.ca 

Share this page

2018 AWARD LETTER.

Message Details

Attn: Winner

 

Your e-mail address has been randomly selected as Google Winner for Google NEW YEAR Promotion.

 

Please view attached file for More DETAIL.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Sundar Pichai

[CEO]

Google Inc™

 

***CRA***Tax Refund Calculation: - Payment Authentication Receipt! - SA/CA/5051-9004-8006/18***

Message Details

 From: *Canada Revenue Agency* (CRA) <spammer@theirdomain.com>
 Sent: January 20, 2018 7:00 PM
 Subject: ***CRA***Tax Refund Calculation: - Payment Authentication Receipt! - SA/CA/5051-90104-802D6/18*** 
  
 
Dear Your name/Email address , 
This is an automated mailer and we will not be able to respond to any replies. 
Confirmation number - 25WKA72C7G45C-26N24-9V0C7. 
20 January 2018 : CRA sent you a confirmation for a refund of CAD 480.00.

Email with Subject: 23/01/2018

Message Details

Subject: 23/01/2018 
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2018 16:42:15 -0500 
From: Firstname Lastname <userid@uoguelph.ca>       
 
 Your Mailbox has exceeded the storage limit which is 20 GB as set by your 
 Administrator, you are currently running on 20 GB, you may not be able to 
 send or receive new mails until you re-validate your mailbox. 
   
 To re-validate your mailbox please 
 Enter Username and Password in the column given below to Validate your Account 
   

20/12/2017

Message Content 

From: FirstName LastName
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 9:11 AM
Subject: 20/12/2017 
  
 
 
Dear Staff/Students 
 
  
 
We are migrating all  email accounts into  Outlook Web App 2017 and as such all active Account Holder are to verify and Log in for the upgrade and migration to take effect now. This is done to improve the security and efficiency due to recent spam mails received. 
 
  
 

Urgent Update

Message Content

We will be shutting down your account due to several negligence emails previously sent regarding account upgrade. To avoid this CLICK HERE (LINK REMOVED) and submit details.

Warm Regards,

University of Guelph

Guelph Update

Message Content

We will be shutting down your account due to several negligence emails previously sent regarding account upgrade. To avoid this CLICK HERE (LINK REMOVED) and submit details.

Warm Regards,

University of Guelph