This phish was received by many UVic recipients. It impersonates the University of Victoria Human Resources department.
The message attempts to create a sense of urgency by asking recipients to complete an “Annual Conflict of Interest Check-In” through a purported HR portal. Recipients are encouraged to click a button labeled “Go to HR portal”, which is designed to direct users to a fraudulent website with the goal of stealing your UVic credentials.
Several indicators reveal that this message is not a legitimate university communication:
- External Sender – The email claims to be from the University of Victoria (display name – “University of victoria”), but it comes from a non-UVic domain.
- No Subject Line
- Threat actors frequently use topics that appear routine and administrative because they are less likely to raise suspicion.
- Pressure to Act – encourages recipients to complete the task “this week” and notes that responses are needed from every team member. Creating urgency is a common phishing tactic designed to reduce careful scrutiny.
- Suspicious Link – The email contains a button labeled “Go to HR portal”. In fact it points to an external web site.
As always, please resist the temptation to click suspicious links. Malicious websites may contain payloads that can compromise your device. If you receive a suspicious email, report it instead. Our Information Security team investigates these sites safely in a secure lab environment.
The transcript of the body of the message follows for your information.
UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA HR
Annual Conflict of Interest Check-In
Hi , <redacted>
It’s that time of year again for our quick Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest check-in. I know these forms can feel like routine paperwork, but we ask everyone to complete one—even if you have nothing new to report! Here are the quick steps:
Hit submit—no attachments or signatures required.
Go to HR portal
Could you please take a quick moment to wrap this up sometime this week? It usually takes less than two minutes, and because we need a response from every team member, your submission really helps us stay on track.
If you have any questions at all, feel free to reply directly to this email—I’m happy to help.
Thanks so much for your time,
HR at University of victoria
Log into the HR portal and open the “Conflict of Interest” form.
Review the brief questions—if nothing applies to you, simply select “nothing to report.”