Every tax season, we see a rise in the number of email and phone scams targeting Rice financial information, especially payroll and W2 information. These scams attempt to steal this information directly or through stolen account passwords. For example:
- Scammers sent phishing emails with links to fake websites to steal faculty and staff passwords. They used subjects like “Alert: Payroll” and “Updated information”.
- Scammers pretended to be members of the community, sending emails and calling employees asking for W2 information for faculty and staff.
We need to remain vigilant about the emails and phone calls we receive, especially those asking us to log into a website or provide private information. Here are some simple ways you can help:
Need to share private information with others on campus? Always use Rice-approved storage and collaboration solutions, like Box.com, if your role requires you to share this information - never send it via email.
Receive an unusual request to provide information? Call the sender and validate the request with your departmental leadership. Follow established departmental rules about accessing and sharing private information.
Receive a link to “verify” or “validate” your account? Report the email. The Office of Information Technology (OIT) will never ask for your password or ask that you validate your account.
Have a question about something you received via email or on your phone? Ask the OIT Help Desk. They can work with the Information Security Office (ISO) to help determine if a request is legitimate.
If you have received a suspicious email, or have any questions, please contact the OIT Help Desk at 713-348-HELP or helpdesk@rice.edu as soon as possible.