Cyber Awareness Items

Protecting Personal Accounts and Information

Cyberattacks are on the rise, and reusing the same 8-character password for multiple accounts puts you at risk. Millions of people are targeted every day with sophisticated attacks designed to access your online information, steal your identity, and empty your bank accounts. Here are key practices to protect your personal and SCU accounts:

Passwords

• Follow our password advice. Use unique, long passwords for every account—the longer, the better.

• Avoid reusing passwords or making minor variations across accounts.

Password Managers

• Use a password manager to securely create, store, and auto-fill unique passwords. These make it super easy to create, store, and auto-fill unique, complex, and loooooong passwords everywhere you have an account.

• Recommended: 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane, NordPass.

• Enable MFA for Password Managers to add an extra layer of security.

Multi-Factor Authentication

Turn on multi-factor (also called 2-factor or 2-step) authentication on EVERY account that offers it. YES–EVERY ACCOUNT. Seems overwhelming? Start with your Email account first! This is because some multi-factor systems email you a code, and password reset systems usually email you a password link. Protect these email accounts at all costs because the protection of all your other accounts often depends on it! MFA prevents access to accounts even if passwords are compromised.

Put a PIN on your mobile account

Your mobile phone is tied to your identity. Think about it–your financial institutions or utilities might confirm your identity by the phone number you're calling from, or they might text you a code to the phone number associated with the account to confirm your identity. But it's pretty easy for cybercriminals to do a "SIM swap" and steal your mobile phone number. They then start receiving all your text messages and can make phone calls to your institutions posing as you!

Credit Freezing

If you suspect your personal information has been compromised, consider credit freezing. Freezing your credit is a highly effective way to prevent identity theft. By freezing your credit, you limit access to your credit report, making it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.

For more information on how to freeze your credit, including the steps involved and the potential impact on your credit score, please visit USA.gov/credit-freeze.

Student Job Scams

Scammers prey on students eager to earn income or build experience—especially those searching on social media or unfamiliar job boards.

Tip: Use Handshake, the official SCU platform for job and internship listings. Opportunities listed here are vetted and safer than postings on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. If you're using LinkedIn, make sure the posting is directly from a verified company/organization or an official recruiter before engaging.

Red Flags to Watch For:

• High pay for minimal effort or unrealistic job descriptions.
• Unsolicited offers that show up in your inbox or social DMs.
• Requests to cash checks or transfer funds on behalf of a company.
• Communications from free email providers like Gmail, Yahoo, or AOL (instead of a company domain).
• “Get rich quick” language or pressure to act immediately.

Protect Yourself:

• Never provide personal or financial information until you’ve verified the job posting and employer.
• Avoid jobs that require you to purchase supplies or pay upfront fees.
• When in doubt, verify the opportunity by contacting the company's official hiring team directly through their website—or, if it’s a Handshake posting, reach out to SCU’s Career Center for guidance.

Stay aware as scammers are looking for easy targets. For more examples and tips, visit the Career Center site at https://www.scu.edu/careercenter/search/.

Housing Scams

Finding off-campus housing can be challenging—and unfortunately, scammers often take advantage of students searching for rentals. The SCU Off-Campus Living Office recommends these tips to help protect yourself:

• Never send cash or cashier’s checks to secure a rental. Always use secure, traceable payment methods.
• Demand a written lease before sending any payments.
• Meet the landlord or property manager in person whenever possible.
• See the apartment in person prior to signing a lease or transferring funds.
• Speak with current tenants to verify the legitimacy of the property.
• Be aware of the current market rates for the area. If a listing seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Report scams: If you encounter a suspicious listing or believe you’ve been scammed, report it to local authorities and the platform where the listing was posted.

SCU’s Global Engagement Office has also seen an increase in scams specifically targeting international students, particularly involving housing deposits. To help protect yourself, review their Scams and Fraud Awareness resources.

Stay vigilant and informed to avoid falling victim to rental scams. For additional guidance, visit the SCU Off-Campus Living Office page and the San Jose Spotlight’s rental listing scams article.

For more examples of scams targeting college students—including rental scams—check out this guide by Avast and review the BBB’s “Is That Rental Listing Real?” study for deeper insights.

Have a Healthy Dose of Skepticism!

Get an email, text message, or even a phone call from your bank, your email provider, the IRS, or even "tech support", insisting your account is hacked and you need to confirm details before they'll reinstate your access? BE SKEPTICAL! Hang up and use the official phone number on the back of your credit card, financial statement, or official website to call and verify the claim. Chances are it's a scam.