AI-generated deepfake videos are realistic enough now to fool people who know the person well. If a video or voice message asks you to send money or login details urgently, verify it through a different method before doing anything.
Old retail accounts, high school apps, and forgotten sign-ins are security risks. If one of those companies gets breached, hackers will try that same password on your college email. Clean house.
Plugging your phone into a public USB port in an airport or student lounge can expose your data to a technique called juice jacking. Use your own wall adapter or a $5 Data Blocker and you’re safe.
Emails promising remote data-entry jobs or assistant positions that pay very well — especially ones that send you a check and ask you to send money back — are scams. Every time. Don’t cash the check.
Posting your workspace setup, class schedule, or NMCID on social media gives scammers real ammunition for targeted attacks. Keep that kind of detail off public accounts.
When you get a suspicious email, don’t just trash it. Use the Phish Alert button in your email client. One click protects everyone who might receive the exact same message.
Scammers sometimes call pretending to be campus police or financial aid, pressuring you to pay a fine or share login info immediately. Real college offices won’t demand payment or passwords over the phone. Hang up and call the office directly to check.
Scanning flyer QR codes is easy, but a scammer can paste a malicious sticker right over a legitimate one. Before you open the link, preview the URL to make sure it’s going where it should.
Multi-factor authentication blocks over 99% of account takeover attacks. Never approve an MFA push notification unless you just tried to log in. A random prompt means someone is trying to get in — deny it and report it.
Scammers send texts pretending to be UPS, your bank, the college, or even a classmate. If you get a text out of nowhere with a link — especially one that creates urgency — don’t tap it. Go directly to the official website or app instead. Legitimate organizations rarely ask you to act through a random text link.
Phishing emails ramp up with the semester. Watch for fake financial aid notices, IT account warnings, and urgent password reset requests. When in doubt, go directly to the source — don’t click the link.
Start the semester fresh. Clear your browser cookies and cache, and run any pending software updates. Unpatched software is one of the most common ways malware gets onto your device.
Starting fresh this fall? Make sure your college password isn’t the same one you use everywhere else. A breach on one site shouldn’t open the door to your student account.
Voice-cloning tools can mimic a real person’s voice from a few seconds of audio. If you get an urgent call during the chaos of move-in week that sounds like a supervisor demanding gift cards or wire transfers, verify through a second channel before acting.
As you prep your classrooms, build this habit now: press Windows + L (or Ctrl + Cmd + Q on Mac) every time you step away from the podium. Every. Single. Time.
If you work from home, change the default passwords on your router and smart home devices. A compromised home device can become a backdoor into networks where you’re doing college work.
Phishing emails disguised as urgent syllabus templates or curriculum updates are on the rise before the fall semester. Always check the actual sender’s email address before opening any attachment.
Student records and sensitive files shouldn’t sit in your Downloads folder forever. Take 10 minutes to move confidential documents to Google Drive — or delete them entirely.