Stay vigilant to avoid scams, monetary loss
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Some APSCUF members reported receiving emails from individuals pretending to be chapter presidents and asking for payments. APSCUF does not send unexpected emails requesting money (including transfers or gift cards) to members. The individuals who are sending these suspicious emails are performing a scam operation known as phishing.
Phishing operations involve individuals who send emails, text messages, or phone calls pretending to be figures of authority or personal significance, asking for some form of payment or personal information such as passwords or account numbers. If you pay or interact with these sources, they can gain access to your finances and drain your accounts. That is why it is important to know how to identify these operations.=
A few ways to make sure you do not fall for one of these phishing scams:
- In a new email and using the address you know is correct, contact the person the scammer is pretending to be to make sure the request is legitimate.
- Never buy/give gift card information over email.
- Do not give phone or bank passwords to people asking for them.
Unfortunately, APSCUF cannot stop these phishing attempts, which are a national issue. We encourage members to be vigilant and to be cautious with any suspicious links, emails, or phone calls.
For more information, visit these resource pages:
—Ian C. Hall,
APSCUF intern