Many bMail account holders have recently received fake messages indicating an ACH Payment or Electronic Fund transfer.
What makes this a phishing message?
This targeted phishing scam pretending to be a UC Berkeley technician. This targeted phishing scam uses urgency and fear to cause the recipients to act, threatening loss of service (email). The email often come from @GMail accounts and indicate a payment has been made or is pending. The malicious intent of the scammer is to get payment details so they can take those credentials and initiate a fraudulent payment, or steal the credential of the recipient with a fake login page.
The most recent frauds have had subject lines like:
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Successful Completion of Your Electronic Funds Date:04042025
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Refund Pending: $399.99 Overpayment Detected
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Payment Received – Order Processing Has Begun #658-745
- AP Payment Notification 00127520
Tips if Something Seems Off:
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Unless you regularly are in contact with vendors and [provess payments for the University, unexpected notice are a red flag. You should NEVER be asked to login with your CalNet credentials to any non UC Berkeley page.
Follow up with the sender separately
If you didn’t expect it, reject it. Or follow up with the individual directly in a separate email or call/text to confirm.
Report and/or flag it
Open the message
To the right of the 'Reply' arrow select 'More' (typically denoted with three vertical dots)
Then 'Report phishing'
For suspicious messages received by text, please take a screen shot and forward the message to phishing@berkeley.eduFor more information visit https://security.berkeley.edu/resources/phishing
Original Message:
