Reported scam that targeted a faculty member

Dear faculty colleagues,

I am writing today to make you aware of a reported scam that recently was directed at an accomplished member of our faculty. We are not aware of more than one incident, but due to the unique nature in which this faculty expert was targeted, the Office of the Provost, in consultation with several units across the University, is reaching out to make you aware and to remind you of available resources.

Last week, an individual purporting to be a well-known reporter from a national news outlet contacted a member of our faculty to arrange an interview via Zoom. At the last minute, the individual shifted the interview to WhatsApp. Two days after the interview, the “reporter” sent an email to thank our faculty colleague for the interview and shared a link to download a preview of the story with detailed instructions for downloading and “running” the file. This signaled to our colleague that something was amiss.

At the same time, Northwestern IT’s threat detection and endpoint protection technology blocked the file and notified support staff of the issue. Team members from the Information Security Office and Endpoint Device Management quickly connected with the faculty colleague to ensure their computer was safe to use.

Here are a few tips to help protect you:

• If you are contacted by someone who claims to be a member of the news media and you have not interacted with them — or if you have not previously interacted via the email address or phone number they use — reach out to the Office of Global Marketing and Communications at media@northwestern.edu. This team regularly interacts with members of the news media and can review and verify inquiries and make individual recommendations.
• Familiarize yourself with the essential resources Northwestern IT provides to help keep institutional and personal information safe. Please take a moment and review these tips on recognizing phishing attempts. You can also find examples of common and recent phishing attempts on the Northwestern IT site. Most importantly, if you believe a phishing scam has reached your inbox or you have already responded to a malicious email or request, email security@northwestern.edu or call the Northwestern IT Service Desk at 847-491-4357 (1-HELP).
• If you ever feel your personal safety is in danger, contact University Police.

It is disturbing to learn of a scam that so deliberately and carefully targeted a member of our faculty, but I hope this notification helps you better protect yourself from potential threats. Please do not hesitate to reach out if the Office of the Provost can ever be of assistance to you directly or put you in touch with others who may assist you.

Sincerely,

Sumit Dhar
Associate Provost for Faculty
Hugh Knowles Professor of Hearing Science