University Email and Phone Scams
University of Arizona students have been targeted by two scams via email and phone related to student employment opportunities and Social Security benefits. These are malicious scams and not valid communications.
Student Employment Email Scam
Recent emails from imposters are offering students employment and providing an initial paper check upon an agreement. Once the student deposits the check, the student is directed to purchase gift cards and send the pertinent information to the "employer." Unfortunately, the checks are not valid, and the cost of the gift cards is then incurred by the student.
Social Security Voicemail Scam
Throughout October, UAPD has been contacted by dozens of University students being targeted by malicious callers claiming their Social Security number was "suspended." The phone number appears to be either UAPD or a valid University phone number; however, it is a "spoofed" number masked as a real number.
The Information Security Office wants to make you aware of these scams and to give you the following guidance:
- The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) does not make phone calls and will never call to threaten your benefits. Hang up immediately. If you are concerned, the SSA can be reached at 1-800-772-1213 or ssa.gov.
- Verify the senders' email address. Hover over the "from" email address to identify the actual sender.
- Do not click on links and do not open attachments if you do not know the sender.
If you have any other questions or concerns or want to report an incident, please call 24/7 at 520-626-8324 (tech) or contact the Information Security Office at security@arizona.edu.