If you’ll be a new UW student this fall, one important point of cybersecurity awareness is that threat actors have scams for every occasion and every season. Equifax has a guide for spotting scams that might target you as you prepare for school on their idwatchdog web site.
They describe scams related to scholarships and financial aid, employment offers, student debt relief, misleading credit card offers, apartments that don’t exist, and more. Review their guide, along with our Scams web page, and be aware that parents and other family members may be targets as well.
And check out the rest of our Cyber Smart series to get ready for a successful academic career!
The following tips and resources to help keep your personal information and UW NetID login credentials secure throughout the year:
- Be aware that UW offices and employees will never ask you for payments in the form of gift cards or favors involving gift cards.
- Only provide or update your personal information through MyUW. The UW will use the information you have provided in MyUW to communicate with you or disburse aid to you.
- Messages that solicit money, ask for your financial or bank account information, or offer to send you money should be regarded as highly suspicious. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Be cautious about clicking links in email, even from someone you know.
- Use strong passwords and protect your UW NetID credentials.
- If you’ve been a victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement, such as UW Police.
- Report suspected email scams to security@uw.edu
Resources
Equifax Back to Campus: 9 Scams for College Students to Be Aware of as They Head Back to School
OIS Students Scams online training
FTC Common Scams