Beware of emails regarding unpaid invoices

The following message was distributed by Walter Ray, chief information security officer.

Please be alert to emails from vendors regarding unpaid invoices. At least three agencies in another state have received phishing emails referencing a “missing invoice” or “skipped invoice”.  The emails were sent to accounting department staff and contained a malicious attachment that, when opened, installs ransomware that will encrypt or lock files, rendering them inaccessible. The malicious attachment is described in the email to be an image of an invoice that was not paid.

If you receive an email message of this type, please forward it to STOPSPAM@augusta.eduwithout opening the attachment. If you believe the email might pertain to a valid invoice, call the vendor to verify its authenticity. If you have questions about this alert or need assistance, please call the Help Desk at 706-721-4000.

Walter Ray
Chief Information Security Officer