Email Scams

The CMU Police Department and CMU Office of Information Technology want to remind the campus community of ways to avoid online scams.  Every year, we take reports from students, faculty, and staff that have fallen victim to online scams.

• Be suspicious of unsolicited emails, especially unsolicited job offers or emails that offer you money, that seem too good to be true.  Often times these scams involve the scammer mailing a bad check for more than the agreed upon wage and requesting the overpayment be sent back to the scammer. 
• Be careful when responding to emails.  Phishing emails are common in today’s society, and appear as legitimate emails that usually suggest an urgent response is required in which users provide their username and password.  Look at the website you are actually viewing; All CMU login pages should take you to a website that starts with www.cmich.edu.
• Fake viruses can appear as popups when visiting websites, which may direct you to call a phone number for support.  The number is actually of a scammer and they may request remote access to your computer or offer to fix the problem for a fee.  Do not do either of these as they cause further damage to you and your data.  This can usually be resolved by closing the web browser or restarting the computer, if you continue to have questions call the CMU IT Help Desk at (989) 774-3662.
• Keep your CMU account password private, and don’t share it with others.  Don’t reuse old passwords or use passwords from non-CMU websites, and don't ever use your CMU password anywhere else.  If you think your password was compromised, contact the OIT Help Desk at (989) 774-3662, to assist in resetting your password.

The scammers are innovative and always changing their methods.  Remember: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  Questions about scams can be directed to the CMU Police Department at 989-774-3081 or to the CMU IT Help Desk at 989-774-3662.  Stay safe online!