We have been made aware of an ongoing scam, where students are receiving calls via WhatsApp from someone pretending to be from the University IT Service Desk. Remember: never give out your personal details.
What happens on these calls?
During this call, the scammer states they are calling from the Regent Street campus or similar about a security issue on your account. The scammer will claim to be sending a code to your device and will ask that you tell them the code to prove who you are.
This code is a recovery code for the your WhatsApp account. Providing that code will give the scammer access to the account, including all messages and associated contact details.
IT Support, IT Security staff or The Student Centre will never ask you to provide a code or password. They will also not contact you via WhatsApp.
What to do if this happens to you
If you have received a call like this, please report it to the IT Service Desk immediately and block the number on your phone. We strongly recommend you reset the password for your IT account.
If your WhatsApp account has been compromised, you can recover it directly, by following the steps outlined on the WhatsApp help centre.
Report it
Be advised, you can also report scam attempts to Action Fraud directly.
And remember...
Please remember to remain vigilant, be careful when accepting calls from unknown numbers and as a rule, do not provide any information when you have received an unexpected call. If they claim to be from the University let them know you will call them back.
Call the IT Service Desk or The Student Centre for advice and remember to regularly review our help and support pages on the University website.
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