Goods and services scam
Scammers pose as buyers or sellers who set up fake websites or profiles offering products and services, sometimes at prices that are too good to be true. They may post fake ads and fake reviews. Always check that you are paying someone you know or a verified business, as there is no purchase protection if you buy goods or services with Zelle®.
Gift card scam
Only scammers will tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers from the back of the card. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. If you gave a gift card to a scammer—no matter how long ago the scam happened—report it to the gift card company.
Phishing scam
Scammers send emails pretending to be an employee from a company you do business with, using a link to that company’s website. This is a fraudulent website and you’ll be asked to log in with your credentials, including a one-time password or authorization code. As soon as you provide those details, fraudsters can gain control of your account.
Accidental deposit scam
Scammers will send you funds then contact you stating the funds were accidentally sent. They’ll then request you to send the funds back through Zelle® or other payment services. Most times the funds were sent to you from stolen credit cards or hacked accounts of other victims. Once scammers receive the funds back from you, they’ll dispute the payment with their bank resulting in duplicate withdrawals. Don’t send the money back or spend it—instead, contact your bank to report the activity.
For more information about CWI’s organizational security please contact Michael Wilson at michaelwilson1@cwi.edu
For more information about cyber awareness or cybersecurity, you can either contact Michael Wilson or Sara Hoyt at sarahoyt@cwi.edu or cyberdefense@cwi.edu. Or visit the Cyber Defense Center website.
To report a possible cybersecurity issue, please submit a help desk ticket to IT.