Western Courier

Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Steffanie Johnston

Early Wednesday, Western Illinois University students were bombarded by an e-mail posing as a questionnaire from the Western Illinois Credit Union.

Warning students they must complete the "Challenge Questions" or their accounts would be blocked, the e-mail asked a series of questions that included requesting students' personal banking information. However, the e-mail was a fraud, according to Chris Jagielo, captain of the Office of Public Safety.

"(The people who sent the e-mails) used some graphics from the Western Illinois Credit Union," Jagielo said. "The credit union has revamped its Web site so that the graphic says 'fraudulent message.'"

Jagielo explained that whoever sent the messages probably found students' e-mails through the directory.

"They've changed the way they've approached it," Jagielo said about Western and its directory. "They're going to re-look the access to the directory and having (students') e-mails available to the public."

The scam, which is called phishing, is being investigated by both OPS and federal agencies.

In a phishing scam, a seemingly legitimate source sends a message asking for personal information.

Reacting quickly, the credit union informed the University Computer Support Services and OPS of the e-mail Wednesday morning. The links within the e-mail were then blocked by computer services, and Western sent out an e-mail to students telling them what to do if they had received and/or responded to the e-mail.

"We responded very quickly with the help of OPS and the Computer Support Services on campus," said Western Illinois Credit Union President Brenda Coker. "Had we not gotten the word out to people sooner, it could have been a lot worse."

Around 9,000 e-mails were sent out to Western students, and some students were recipients of multiple e-mails.

Currently, only six students have come forward saying they responded to the e-mail. Coker said she feels there will probably be more in the next few days.

"I do anticipate that there will be a few that don't tell us until something happens to their accounts," Coker said.

According to John Maguire, Assistant Vice President for University Relations, if a student has received the e-mail, the subject of which reads "{Security} Challenge Questions Authentication," he or she should immediately block it and delete it.

"You're only in danger if you thought it was real, replied to it and filled (out) the information," Maguire said. "If you did that, then you're in trouble."

In general, students should ignore those e-mails that ask for financial information, Jagielo said.

"If (students) aren't in contact with a financial institution, they should delete the e-mail," Jagielo said. "If you are dealing with a financial institution, they won't look for personal information."

If a student has responded to the e-mail and is a member of the credit union, Maguire, Coker and Jagielo all agreed he or she should immediately contact the credit union to cancel his or her account.

"If (a student is) a member of the credit union, he or she needs to immediately call the credit union so he or she can take the proper precautions," Maguire said. "If you're a member of the credit union, you need to take care of this. It can't wait."

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