Historically, Internet criminals leverage tax seasons to launch various phishing campaigns to steal confidential data and resources. In the context of the massive Equifax data breach that was announced last year that potentially affected 143 million U.S. consumers (source: https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com), and because of the current tax season, the TTU Information Technology Division would like to strongly remind the Lubbock community to be vigilant in protecting confidential personal data and information resources.

We recommend the following cybersecurity practices to protect yourself and your personal data from this and other email scams:

• Do not click on links contained within an email unless you are certain of the sender's identity and expecting the information;
• Do not open attachments unless you are certain of the sender's identity and expecting the information;
• Delete and do not reply to any suspicious or suspect emails;
• Update your desktop, laptop, and/or mobile device anti-virus software; and
• Keep current on critical system updates:
  • Windows: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12373/windows-update-faq
  • Mac: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201541

In addition, if you have confirmed or believe your information is compromised, the following options are available:

• Enroll with a credit monitoring service.
• Enable account alerts for important accounts, e.g. credit card accounts.
• Monitor your bank and credit card statements closely for suspicious activity.
• If you find evidence that your identity has been stolen, report it immediately to https://www.identitytheft.gov.
• Consider registering for fraud alerts with all credit bureaus (Equifax, Innovis, Experian, and TransUnion). These free alerts must be renewed every 90 days. An extended fraud alert can be set for a longer time period. With fraud alerts, you will be contacted before any credit applications are approved.
• Alternatively, consider utilizing credit freezes with each of the credit bureaus. If you intend to apply for a loan or credit card, you must provide the PIN given to you during the credit freeze setup process. This service may require a small fee.
• At least once a year, obtain and review your free annual credit reports from https://www.annualcreditreport.com.
• The Federal Trade Commission recommends filing your tax returns early to help prevent fraudulent filings.