Early this afternoon, the WKU police department tweeted a warning to students of a scam email being sent to their inboxes.

The email shown in the tweet has the subject line of “ENG 104 on MWF” that is written as if a teacher is contacting students about missed classes and offers a link to schedule new times.

The email is from a WKU email address and appears convincing, but the WKUPD advises to not click on the link it provides.

“WKU PD has been made aware of the below email that is circulating through our campus community,” the tweet stated. “It is a SCAM!”

Melissa Bailey, public information officer at WKUPD, said the department forwarded the email to WKU Information Technology Services.

The email is an example of Internet phishing. Phishing is an internet scam tactic that usually involves getting users to follow links in an email or message.

“Phishing is a type of social engineering attack often used to steal user data, including login credentials and credit card numbers,” the website Imperva states. “It occurs when an attacker, masquerading as a trusted entity, dupes a victim into opening an email, instant message, or text message.”

The best defense for protecting oneself from phishing is vigilance, according to Imperva’s website. The spoofed message will often contain “red flags” like multiple spelling errors or unusual spacing. 

“Users should also stop and think about why they’re even receiving such an email,” the website states.

If a student receives the email, or any email that looks suspicious, it is advised to not follow links and to delete the email.

News reporter Michael Crimmins can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @michael_crimm