Phish Bowl

Piano and welder scams are two variations of the same tactic: the scammer claims to offer a large valuable item for free, but then tells anyone who replies that they’ll need to pay to have the item shipped from out of town. At that point, the scammer will provide an email address for a supposed moving company, which will often be from a free email provider like Gmail or Outlook (not exactly a professional look!). That moving company will turn out to be fake–if you contact them to make arrangements and pay them money, you’ll never hear back from them again and never receive the item you were expecting.

The latest batches of these scams are impersonating a real person from UVic to make the offer look more legitimate. Check the sender information and reply address carefully; if the email was sent from or tells you to reply to a non-UVic email address, in all likelihood it’s a scam and not actually from the person it claims to be from. The fact that you are told to reach out using your personal email is another bad sign; that is a common trick used by scammers to move the conversation away from UVic’s monitoring.

Also, in the examples below, the faculty or staff member who is supposedly giving away the piano or welder is actually fictitious. The poor grammar is an additional red flag.

From: [redacted] <[redacted]@optonline.net>
Subject: FREE PIANO DONATION.!!!

Attachments: [three photographs of a black Yamaha baby grand piano sitting on an ornate rug]

You don’t often get email from [redacted]@optonline.net. Learn why this is important

Dear Student/Staff/Faculty,

One of our staff, Mr. Mark Gary is downsizing and looking to give away his late dad’s piano to a loving home. The Piano is a 2014 Yamaha Baby Grand size used like new. You can write to him to indicate your interest on his private email ([redacted]@writeme.com)to arrange an inspection and delivery with a moving company. Kindly write Mr. Mark via your private email for a swift response.

Best regards,

[redacted]
University Advancement
[redacted]@uvic.ca
University of Victoria
https://www.uvic.ca

From: [redacted] <[redacted]@gmail.com>
Subject: Disposal Of Welding Machine And Tools Box

You don’t often get email from [redacted]@gmail.com. Learn why this is important

Dear Student/Faculty And Staff,

One of our staff at University of Victoria Ms Mary Figuerova, Assistant Professor. is downsizing and looking to give away her late dad’s Miller 951937 Dynasty 300 TIG Welder w/ TIGRunner Pkg & Wireless Foot Control, With A Complete Set Of Snap On Tools Box And Accessories.
If interested in any of the equipment  kindly indicate by sending her a mail via your personal email for a swift response.
to indicate your interest in any of the listed items contact her on her private email address ([redacted]@outlook.com) to arrange delivery with a moving company.

Sincerely,

[redacted]
Member Of The Board
University of Victoria

Phishers often try to create a sense of urgency to get people to click the link in haste, and that tactic is on full display in this fake HR email. If you receive an email that claims to be from HR, especially one that seems urgent or feels intimidating, first take a few deep breaths, and then look closely at the email to see if there are signs that it’s fake. This one has quite a few red flags:

• The email did not come from UVic (in fact, the phisher appears to be abusing a compromised account at another university). A real UVic HR email would come from a UVic email address.
• The email was sent to hundreds of people, many of whom were not from UVic. That is a strong sign that this is a non-targeted mass phishing email and not a genuine HR notification.
• The greeting is impersonal, there is no signature block, and the email doesn’t specifically mention UVic.
• Hovering over the link will reveal that it does not go to a page from UVic; it actually goes to a page from a free online form builder.

From: [redacted]@********t.edu
To: [redacted] + 397 more
Subject: October 2024 Staff Report and Individual Assessment

You don’t often get email from [redacted]@********t.edu. Learn why this is important.

Assessment Dear Team,
I am pleased to inform you that the HR Department has recently finalized the Staff Report for October 2024.  It is imperative that you treat this matter with urgency.

Attached below, you will find the relevant file that contains your individual Assessment Report. Please open it to access the information

Click Here [link] To View Report

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Once again, job scammers are impersonating real UVic professors to target students in need of extra funds to pay for tuition and other necessities. This latest batch isn’t as elaborately written as the last one posted here, but still has some of the usual red flags:

• The email came from a Gmail address. If a job offer comes from or tells you to contact an address from a free email provider like Gmail or Outlook.com, it’s extremely likely to be a scam.
• The name of the sender does not match the signature block. Inconsistencies like that can be a sign that something is not right with the email.
• The scammer may be trying to create a false sense of urgency by saying a student is “urgently required” to trick you into replying hastily.
• The salary is too good to be true–$320 per week for only 8 hours of remote work is well above the typical wage for co-op or other student jobs.
• Although there are no glaring grammatical errors, the wording still comes across as stilted and awkward.

If you replied to the scammer, cease contact and reach out to the Computer Help Desk or your department’s IT support person for assistance.

From: P***** C***** <[redacted]@gmail.com>
Subject: Student Job Opening

You don’t often get email from [redacted]@gmail.com. Learn why this is important.

The service of a student is urgently required to work part-time as a student administrative assistant in the Department of Biology and get paid $320 weekly. This is a remote opportunity and work time is 8 hours in a week.
To apply, please submit your resume to the Department of Biology via this email address to proceed.

Sincerely
Dr. ****** B*****
Professor
Department of Biology
Office: CUN ****

Job scams aren’t the only way that scammers try to take advantage of students in financial need–they are also sending out scam emails claiming to offer grant money. In this case, the tantalizing offer of a few thousand dollars that don’t need to be paid back is very likely to be a pretext for a cheque overpayment scam.

Notice how the email says you are supposed to use almost half of the funds for “humanitarian service for a disabled student”. In all likelihood, that means that the scammer will tell you to cash the cheque and then send some of the money to another person or bank account specified by the scammer. A few days after you do that, the cheque will bounce and the money you transferred will effectively come out of your own funds, meaning you’ll have lost a non-trivial amount of money. (Also, the scammer’s math doesn’t add up; $2700 + $2200 = $4900 and that’s more than the amount on the cheque!)

In addition to the above, there are many other red flags:

• The email was not sent from UVic, a provincial government (such as gov.bc.ca), or the federal government (canada.ca or something ending in gc.ca).
• You are told to apply by emailing an Outlook.com email address. If you are told to contact an address from a free email provider, the grant is very likely to be a scam.
• The scammer wants you to reply from your personal email and provide your mobile phone number. Scammers use this tactic to move the conversation away from UVic’s monitoring and security controls.
• The scammer also asks you to email other personal information like your address and where you bank.
• The greeting is impersonal.
• The email contains awkward wording and grammatical errors.
• The signature of “Canada Student Grant” is vague/generic and does not mention UVic or a specific government department.
• While the message looks like normal text, the whole thing is actually an image–that’s a strong sign that the message is not legitimate and the scammer has done that to evade spam filters.

If you replied to this email, cease contact with the scammer and reach out to the Computer Help Desk immediately for assistance.

From: [redacted]@[redacted].net
Subject: Dear Qualified Student

You don’t often get email from [redacted]@[redacted].net. Learn why this is important.

Dear Qualified Student,

Your 2024 Grant has been approved and payment check is ready for immediate disbursement

Take note this is a grant, and you’re not obligated to pay back. We believe this will help students in containing educational fees and personal bills.

The payment will come via Check for MOBILE DEPOSIT, and this is because of theft and loss of pay checks in the mail delivery by Canada Post, UPS/FedEx etc.

The grant board will issue you a check of $4,700.00. However, your approved grant amount is $2,700.00 and $2,200.00 slated for you to carry out a humanitarian service for a disabled student whose details will be sent to you once the grant funds have been made available. This is a general outreach to support students and to also support other disabled/less privileged individuals within the student Community.

Kindly reconfirm the below to begin the immediate claims process.

Full Names:
Mobile Number:
Address (Postal code included)
Specify name of Bank (TD, RBC, BOM, CIBC SCOTIA ETC)
Age:
Personal email:

Important Note: you are to contact the claims officer Mr Neil Trotter on ([redacted]@outlook.com) and your email to him must come from your personal email account (Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, iCloud etc) and not your school email. Failure to comply to this simple instruction means your eligibility for this grant will be disregarded.

Contact Person: Neil Trotter
Contact Email: [redacted]@outlook.com

Only send application to the above email address [redacted]@outlook.com

I await your prompt response.

Regards,
Canada Student Grant

Like we’ve seen many times before, job scammers are impersonating real UVic professors or staff and targeting students looking for extra income to help pay for essentials when the cost of living remains so high. This latest batch is more elaborately written than many of the previous ones we’ve seen and may have been composed with the help of generative AI. Despite that, many of the typical red flags are still present:

• The email came from a Gmail address and instructs you to apply by contacting a separate Mail.com address. If you receive an unsolicited job offer where either the sender or the reply address are from free email providers, it’s probably a scam.
• The salary is too good to be true–$350 per week for only 6-7 hours of remote work is well above the typical wage for co-op or other student jobs.
• The scammer requests your phone number, which may be a ploy to move the conversation away from email to evade our security controls.
• There are still a few errors in the message text, such as incorrect capitalization, awkward wording, and the lack of a name in the signature block.

If you apply for a job and are told you were the successful candidate without going through an interview or otherwise meeting your employer first, it’s very likely to be a scam. And if you are told to buy and send gift cards or transfer money to someone else, definitely do not proceed!

If you replied to the scammer, cease contact and reach out to the Computer Help Desk immediately for assistance.

From: CAMPUS JOBS <[redacted]@gmail.com>
Subject: Research Assistant Position

You don’t often get email from [redacted]@gmail.com. Learn why this is important.

HR Job title: Remote Research Assistant

Supervisor: Dr. [redacted]

Work Study: Applicants can be work-study or non-work-study students. Both undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply. University of Victoria, Centre for Social and Sustainable Innovation is currently hiring Undergraduate or Graduate Students to fill the position of Research Assistant Position on a part time basis of $350 weekly.

Department Required Skills

– Highly motivated, with strong organizational and communication skills.
-Excellent problem-solving skills
-Team player who can work in a fast-paced environment with a multi-disciplinary team.

Preferred Years Experience, Skills, Training, Education

-Experience primarily using Windows operating systems
-Ability to adequately use Microsoft Excel.

This is a part-time position with a flexible schedule, and the successful candidate will work approximately 6-7 hours for $350  weekly. The position offers valuable research experience, and the opportunity to work with a dynamic and collaborative research team on campus.  As a Part-Time Remote Assistant Position you will play a crucial role in supporting me as I work with our partners and stakeholders to ensure that our programs and initiatives are making a real different in the lives of children around the world. Your responsibilities will include assisting with administrative tasks, organizing meetings and events, helping to manage communications and correspondence, handle mailing, making payments and purchasing Items when needed.

To proceed with the application process and other eligibility descriptions, submit your resume for review, functional phone number and year of study via this email address ([redacted]@mail.com) to receive further information on the position.

Best regards,
(he/his/him)
3800 Finnerty Road,
Victoria BC  V8P 5C2 Canada
https://www.uvic.ca/

This phish makes a tantalizing offer of up to $3,500 in financial assistance to tempt people to click on the link. However, the form that appears is a phishing site that first requests your username and password, and then tries to defeat MFA by telling you to be ready to confirm the login on your device.

The email is better-written than most phish, but there are still a few red flags that indicate that this offer is not genuine:

• The email did not come from a UVic email address
• The signature is generic and impersonal
• The message does not mention UVic anywhere–there is only a generic reference to “the University”
• Hovering over the link reveals that it goes to a non-UVic website

If you clicked on the link, contact the Computer Helpdesk or your department’s IT support staff immediately for assistance.

---

From: [redacted]@[redacted].us
Subject: FW: University Support Program

You don’t often get email from [redacted]@[redacted].us. Learn why this is important.

In response to the economic challenges we’re all facing, I’m excited to announce the launch of a Financial Support Program designed to help both staff and students at the University.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

• Start Date: October 8, 2024
• Eligibility: All university staff and students
• Financial Assistance: Up to $3,500 per eligible applicant
• Duration: Program available through December 31, 2024

We understand how overwhelming these times can be, and we’re committed to providing support where it’s needed most.

HOW TO APPLY:

1. Visit the Support Program [link] webpage.
2. Follow the simple step-by-step application process.
3. Ensure all required information is submitted.

If you think this program could benefit you, don’t hesitate to apply! We hope it brings some relief and reassurance.

Sincerely,

Employers Support Services

UNESCO job scams are making the rounds once more. Here are the signs that the job offer is not legitimate:

• The emails did not come from UNESCO or the UN (the scammer seems to have abused compromised accounts belonging to a national government).
• The emails tell you to contact a different address on Outlook.com. Job offers that tell you to apply by contacting an email address from a free email provider are very likely to be scams. Also, it’s suspicious that they did not provide a full name for the contact person.
• The message contains awkward wording and poor grammar.
• The salary is likely to be too good to be true for part-time remote work, especially if there turns out to be no interview or no knowledge/experience requirements.

We also recommend you check out our other posts on job scams for additional tips.

If you contacted the scammer, reach out to the Computer Help Desk or your department’s IT support staff immediately for assistance.

---

From: [redacted]@****.gov.m*
Subject: Part-Time job

I am sharing job opportunity information to anyone who might be interested in a paid UNESCO Part-Time job with a weekly pay of $750.00. If interested, kindly contact  Sarah on her email address. ([redacted]@outlook.com) for details of employment.

N.B, this job is strictly a work from home position.

Some scammers are using Microsoft Sharepoint sites to send scam emails that appear very legitimate. The emails are very similar to legitimate emails from Microsoft, they do not have any malicious links and appear to come from Microsoft. The scammers want you to call the support number in the email and will then attempt to compromise your computer or steal money.

One red flag is whether you are expecting this email or not, however it is possible you have a personal M365 subscription matching the information. Microsoft advises they do not include support phone numbers in emails to clients. For emails where you are not sure and want to contact the company in question, it is best to look-up the contact information on the company’s official website.

Delete or report these emails as phishing; do not call the scam numbers. If you did call the number, please contact the Computer Help Desk or your department’s IT support staff immediately for assistance.

Transcript:

Subject: Your Microsoft order on September 23, 2024

Email body:

Thanks for your Microsoft order
Thanks for your order on September 23, 2024.

You can manage your subscriptions in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

Go to Microsoft 365 admin center (link to admin center).

Billing information Order Id
Sales Team Helpline : 1-(818) redacted
Billing profile:
redacted SE Saint Andrews Dr
Portland, or, 97202-9015 b28b3f74-1a22-4def-c96e-cca1dafb8ee7
Table with
Global Microsoft 365 Business Premium, quantity 1, price $792.00 USD
Subtotal $792.00 USD

We have identified a phishing attempt that pretends to be from UVic HR, using urgency to trick recipients. The email contains a PDF attachment that includes a button leading to a fake login page. The goal is to steal your UVic credentials.

These emails often come from external addresses, but malicious actors can spoof internal addresses too. Do not open the PDF or click any links. They may contain malware to infect your computer instantly.
Our experts are investigating these threats in isolated environments.

Here is a screenshot of the message:

and transcript of the message body:

Important Employee Handbook and Payroll Update
Please be informed that there are critical updates to the Employee Handbook and Payroll process.
It is essential that you review these updates to ensure you are aware of the latest company policies and payroll information.
Regards.
University of victoria HR

With students back on campus, these kinds of scams will continue to target them. Most of the emails with the subject “Students seeking Jobs should check below” were properly identified by the antispam filters and ended up in the junk folders of Exchange mailboxes.

These emails typically contain a short text in the body of the message, while the actual scam is in an attached text file. The body may look like this:

These emails may come from different sender addresses (typically Gmail).

The text file contains a rather long description of the “job and benefits,” which includes typing mistakes and, as usual, sounds too good to be true.

Please do not reply to such scammers (even for fun!). If in doubt, ask the helpdesk or your supervisor.

The transcripts of the body of the email and the attachment are listed below:

 

University Of Victoria has resources in place to help you succeed in your career and your relationships. work for $(four Hundred weekly and study. If interested, see attached
Regards.

the attachment:

Greetings’..

I am Dr. Alvin Sanders… And I work with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) replaces the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) by amending the law to strengthen the United States workforce development system through innovation in, and alignment and improvement of, employment, training, and education programs in the United States, and to promote individual and national economic growth, and for other purposes. The law provides the framework for a national workforce preparation and employment system designed to meet both the needs of the nation’s businesses and the needs of job seekers and those who want to further their careers. WIOA reforms current federal laws governing programs of job training, adult education and literacy, vocational rehabilitation, and youth, making services more universally accessible and more flexible components of workforce development systems.

The system offers access to services that encompasses assessments/skills needs, job search, job placement, labor market information, individual employment planning, educational and career counseling, occupational skills training, skill upgrading, internships and work experience, job readiness, adult education, and literacy and High School Equivalency (HSE) programs for adults and out-of-school youth free of charge. And we are running a promotional program at the moment which gives room for more individual to Apply and work with us while we make sure this offers circulated among all who needed to know about us.

I Considered this email reach out to you through the consent of University Office for Students in extension of an offer to work with me as my Virtual Personal Assistant (Dr. Alvin Sanders)

JOBS DESCRIPTION:

This job is really straightforward And is currently available online as WORK-FROM-HOME REMOTELY JOB. As my personal assistant you may be required to provide General personal assistance which may include any of the mentioned below:
*Acting as a liaison between the employer and other parties, including clients, vendors

*Handling and responding to emails

*Running personal errands such as shopping and arranging deliveries.

*Recording expenses, organizing receipts, and preparing expense reports.

*Providing support for personal tasks such as managing bills, organizing personal finances, and researching personal interests.

*And lastly. Any other tasks or projects assigned by the employer to support their professional or personal life. Meanwhile the working hours are flexible and fully remotely, the pay is $399/Weekly and working hours are 1 to 3hrs a day and 3days working hours bi-weekly

BENFITS:
Hybrid work policy with up to two days work from home
College-issued laptop for hybrid work
Adjusted hours for summer months, fall and spring breaks
Offices closed between Christmas and New Year’s
Generous vacation and personal time off
In addition to the benefits(for example health insurance, life insurance, TIAA, tuition-exchange), the college also provides the following perks:
I am presently monitoring other operations around the states so I am unable to meet up for the interview. For every assignment, you will receive payment in advance (AUTOMATIC 1 WEEK UPFRONT, $399). We will talk about the possibilities of turning this into a long-term job when I return if I am pleased with your services during my absence. I’m expected to arrive during the final week of October 2024.

Note: Please make sure that all of the information you submit is correct. If you are under the age of eighteen or do not have access to a real bank account, your application may not be accepted. If your application is approved, you will receive a confirmation email and will also communicate with us via text and email.
Below is the Application process. Thanks

If interested, please apply below, and send your student ID, full name, major, address, best contact
number, and alternate email. Please be aware that Junior and Senior students will be considered with
priority at this time.
To apply, email the requested information to
<redacted>

 

Job scam impersonating UNESCO has been circulating over the weekend.

Please read the given post to learn about spotting such scams and next steps if you have fallen for it:

Part-Time job.

From: [redacted sender address]
Subject: Part-Time job.
Attachment: [Word document icon] UNESCO JOB.docx

You don’t often get email from [redacted sender address] . Learn why this is important.

—
Job opportunity information to anyone who might be interested in a paid UNESCO Part-Time job with a weekly pay of $750.00. If interested, kindly contact Schulz Niels on his email address. ([redacted]@outlook.com) with your alternate non-educational email address I.e., Gmail, yahoo, Hotmail etc.) for further details of employment.

N.B, this job is strictly a work from home position.

In this targeted phish, the phishers use the appeal of a salary increase to get you to open the PDF and click on the link inside it. Red flags to watch out for:

• The email did not come from a UVic email address.
• The greeting is impersonal.
• There are errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar. If you are very sharp-eyed, you might also notice that lowercase a’s have been replaced with lowercase Greek letter alpha.
• Official university emails would not use difficult-to-read light green text.

If you opened the attachment, contact the Computer Help Desk or your department’s IT support staff immediately for assistance.

---

From: University of Victoria <*******@*******n.edu>
Subject: Salary Adjustment Acknowledgement
Attachment: [PDF icon] UVIC-protected.pdf [59 KB]

You don’t often get email from ********@*******n.edu. Learn why this is important.

Deαr Emplοyees,

I αm hαppy to let you knοw that yοur salary increase has been apprοved. We appreciate yοur hαrd wοrk and dedicαtion to The University of Victoria, and this αdjustment reflects yοur cοntributions appropriately.

Stαrting from 26 July 2024, your sαlαry will be increαsed by 16⋅82 percent.
This αdjustment αcknοwledges yοur effοrts and αligns with our cοmmitment to recοgnizing αnd rewαrding our vαluαble emplοyees.

NΟTE: Your Αccess is needed to go thrοugh the sαlαry increment letter, Initial Αccess is Salary

We lοk fοrward to yοur cοntinued successful input at The University of Victoria

Pαyrοll & Emplοyee Relαtiοns

Job scams impersonating UNESCO and other UN agencies are something we see on a regular basis. By offering a generous salary for only a few hours a week of simple remote work tasks, these unscrupulous scammers prey on students looking for extra money to cover the cost of tuition, rent and other necessities. The red flags in the email message are the usual ones:

• The email did not come from a UNESCO or UN email address, nor did it come from a UVic sender.
• The salary is too good to be true for part-time remote work.
• The email contains grammatical errors and awkward wording.
• You are told to send replies to an Outlook.com email address. If a job offer asks you to contact an address from a free email provider, there is a very high chance that the offer is a scam.
• You are asked to reply from your personal email address. Scammers do this to shift the conversation away from UVic’s email security controls and avoid detection.

If you contacted the scammer, reach out to the Computer Help Desk or your department’s IT support person immediately for assistance. If you opened the attachment, update your computer’s antivirus and perform a full scan as a precaution.

If there is no job interview before you’re accepted into the position, or you never get to meet your supposed employer (either in person or by video call) before you start working, that is a very strong sign of a job scam. If any of the following occur, do not proceed!

• You are told to share your UVic or other login credentials–never share those with anyone!
• You are asked to purchase gift cards, then send photographs of them with the PIN revealed. Don’t do this even if you were given a cheque beforehand–that cheque will probably bounce and you’ll lose the money used to purchase the cards.
• You are given a cheque to deposit in your account and told to send part of the amount to someone else. This may be a cheque overpayment scam (the cheque you received would eventually bounce, meaning the money you sent would come from your own funds), or the scammer may be trying to use you as an unwitting money mule to launder money.

---

From: N****** <[redacted]@quadro.net>
Subject: Part-Time job.
Attachment: [Word document icon] UNESCO JOB (1).docx

You don’t often get email from [redacted]@quadro.net. Learn why this is important.

—
Job opportunity information to anyone who might be interested in a paid UNESCO Part-Time job with a weekly pay of $750.00. If interested, kindly contact Cargill on his email address. ([redacted]@outlook.com) with your alternate non-educational email address I.e., Gmail, yahoo, Hotmail etc.) for further details of employment.

N.B, this job is strictly a work from home position.

If you get an unsolicited email that offers to give away something valuable for free and it’s not from someone you know, it’s probably too good to be true. This is very likely to be the case when someone says they are giving away a late family member’s grand piano–emails of that sort are a common scam. Some versions may even attach photos of the supposed piano, but they’re probably stock images or ripped off of somebody else’s listing. If you are told to reply from personal email or a different communication method, that is a red flag as well; scammers do this to move the conversation away from UVic email to avoid detection.

If you reply to indicate you’d like the piano, you’ll be told to contact and pay a “moving company” to ship the piano from out of town, but the moving company will turn out to be fake and you’ll never receive a piano after you’ve paid up. In general, it’s extremely risky to pay a random person or moving company for a piano (or other item of value) sight unseen; the item may not actually exist or not be what you were expecting.

Watch out for versions of the scam that impersonate real people at UVic. If the email was not sent from a UVic email address, or you’re instructed to contact an email address that is not from UVic, you can be certain the email is a scam. If in doubt, don’t reply to the email–to determine the email’s legitimacy, contact the person through another method that you know is safe (e.g.: using the contact information on their directory entry or by asking in person). Sometimes, one name will correspond to a real person at UVic but the other one will not, which is another sign of a scam.

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From: Paulina Hagerman <s*********8@gmail.com>
Subject: Yamaha baby grand 05/13/2024

Notice: This message was sent from outside the University of Victoria email system. Please be cautious with links and sensitive information.

Hello,

I’m offering my late husband’s Yamaha Piano to any music enthusiast who may appreciate it. If you or someone you know might be interested in receiving this instrument for free, please feel free to reach out to me.

Warm regards,
Paulina

From: [impersonated UVic employee] <[redacted]@gmail.com>
Subject: Yamaha Piano donation

Attachments: [Three thumbnail images showing a Yamaha baby grand piano from different angles]

Dear Student /Staff/Faculty,
One of our staff, Mr.Stephen Whitehead. is looking to give away his late dad’s piano to a loving new home. The Piano is a 2014 Yamaha Baby Grand size used but still new. Kindly write to him to indicate your interest on his private email( [redacted]@mail.com) to arrange an inspection and delivery with a moving company. Kindly write Mr. Stephen Whitehead via your private email for a swift response.

[impersonated UVic employee]
Assistant to the Dean
https://www.uvic.ca

Similar to the ‘grand piano’ scam, other large items, such as welding tools, are also being offered in recent scams. The common thread among all these offers is this: if you express interest in the item, you are asked to pay for the shipping costs. The scammers’ goal is to get you to send them a payment using non-refundable money orders or gift cards. However, after you pay the shipping cost, you will never receive the item you were expecting.

From: Dr. <real name of a UVic person>  <****@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 3:59 AM
Subject: Disposal of welding machine and tools boxs

Notice: This message was sent from outside the University of Victoria email system. Please be cautious with links and sensitive information.

Dear Student/Faculty And, One of our staff in University of Victoria , <redacted name> ( Coordinator, Academic Administration) is downsizing and looking to give away her late dad’s Miller 951937 Dynasty 300 TIG Welder w/ TIGRunner Pkg & Wireless Foot Control, With A Complete Set Of Snap On Tools Box And Accessories. If interested in any of the equipment kindly indicate by sending him a mail via your personal email for a swift response. to indicate your interest in any of the listed items contact him on his private email address (****@outlook.com ) to arrange delivery with a moving company.

Sincerely,

Dr. <redacted real name>

MEMBER OF THE BOARD