As you may or may not know, there have been extensive "phishing" attacks against many college and university domains in recent weeks. "Phishing" is the term used for messages that pretend to be from a legitimate organization and try to convince recipients to provide confidential information, such as account names and passwords, in an email reply or on a specified web page.

In the recent round of attacks, the senders try to simulate a message from a college or university's Help Desk staff. The message asks users to provide their account username and password, supposedly to facilitate some type of account action. However, if a user does provide the requested information, their account is immediately used to send spam to other users.

Some of these phishing e-mails have even been reported to contain the following text, or something like it:

"We would normally never ask you for your account name and password, but we are offering this one-time service..."

Our GroupWise spam-filter administrator has put new rules in place to try to block these attacks, but some variants may still slip through.

Please be on the alert, and remember to NEVER provide confidential information in response to an email message.

Recently, two vehicles have been broken into on campus property and items left in the vehicles were stolen.

There have also been a number a car breaks reported in the Northampton area. These include Kensington Ave and other areas close to campus.

The Department is asking for help from the community.

If anyone was on or around Paradise Road during the time listed and saw anyone unusual near cars in the lot, please contact Public Safety at ext. 2490.

• October 25 at or around 10:50 p.m.
  

If anyone was in or around the Mandelle Lot during the time listed and saw anyone unusual near cars in the lot, please contact Public Safety at ext. 2490.

• October 26 at or around 2:30 p.m.
  

Thieves are generally looking for items easy to grab that they can see through a car window. Please do not leave any items of value or potential value in the passenger area of your vehicle, especially music devices, GPS units, money, and other easy-to-remove items. If such items must be left in your car, lock them in the trunk where they are less likely to be seen.

When parking your car, call Public Safety at x2490 or utilize an emergency phone if you see anyone suspicious. Suspicious behavior includes someone 'hanging out' in the lot, someone sitting in a car for a length of time, someone looking into vehicles, or someone you just feel seems out of place.

Public Safety has increased patrols of campus parking lots.

Officers are on duty twenty-four (24) hours a day to respond to incidents and to give assistance. Crime prevention is everyone's responsibility. Working together we can keep the campus safe.

Academic Building Thefts

The Department of Public Safety has taken multiple reports of thefts in campus buildings in recent days. The thefts include: wallets, keys, cash, One Cards, cell phones and more. These thefts were from an unlocked office in Bass Hall and from unattended bags left in the Wright Hall auditorium. There were two suspects last seen in the Bass Hall area. They are described as:

• White male, 20s, 5’ 9”, medium build with dark slicked back short hair last seen wearing a tan hip length jacket, dark pants and a black backpack.
• White male, 20-30, 5’ 8”, orange button style shirt with longer bushy brown hair.
  

Additionally, Public Safety is investigating the theft of computers and monitors from the Science Center sometime over the weekend. Around $6,000 worth of computer equipment was stolen from several rooms. They are re-keying several houses exterior doors as a result of these thefts.

Public Safety is looking for help from the community. Anyone having information about any of these incidents, or anyone seeing these suspects on campus should call Public Safety at x2490.

Public Safety encourages members of the community to follow these crime prevention tips:

• Do not leave your property unattended.
• Keep your keys in your possession at all times.
• Keep your room or office locked at all times.
• Report any suspicious activity or individuals to Public Safety.
  

Officers are on duty twenty-four (24) hours a day to respond to incidents and to give assistance. Crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Working together we can keep the campus safe.

Posted Sept. 5, 2007