Email Scam Alert

All Harvard students, faculty and staff should be aware of an email scam with the subject "PART-TIME PERSONAL ASSISTANT POSITION" which appears to originate from a Harvard email address. 

If you have received this email in your inbox, do not reply to the sender or click the link in the email. Forward the email to phishing@harvard.edu.

Refer to the following guidance and resources for more information on email and phone scams.

From the Harvard Police Department: 

Steps to Take If You Receive a Scam Telephone Call or Email

Do not share any personal identifiable or financial information.

Monitor calls/email for potential scams from unknown callers/sender.

If you suspect the caller/sender is attempting to commit a scam, hang up or do not respond.

Do not agree to meet with an unknown caller/sender. If the caller/sender claims to be a government official, you should contact Harvard International Office (HIO), which can work with HUPD as needed to verify the caller/sender’s credentials.

Please forward the email to phishing@harvard.edu.

If you feel unsafe or threatened, call the HUPD at 617-495-1212.

Important Knowledge Regarding Scams

U.S. Government (IRS, Immigration/Citizenship Services, and Department of State) officials will never ask for prepaid gift cards or debit/credit card information over the telephone.

Law enforcement officials will never request payment in order to resolve a warrant or criminal issue.

Affiliates are cautioned when using informal means to locate housing (Craigslist, Facebook, or Reddit). Affiliates are strongly encouraged to utilize the Off-Campus Housing website in order to locate rental properties.

External Resources for More Information

Federal Trade Commission for Rental Scams - https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0079-rental-listing-scams

Federal Trade Commission Information for Avoiding Scams - https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/avoiding-scams-information-recent-ref…

U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services website on Common Scams - https://www.uscis.gov/avoid-scams/common-scams

Federal Trade Commission to Report Identity Theft - https://www.identitytheft.gov/?utm_source=takeaction

Harvard International Office (HIO) regarding housing - http://hio.harvard.edu/housing

For more detailed information on safety and security, please read the Harvard University Police Department's Annual Security Report, which can be found at www.hupd.harvard.edu/annual-security-report. Additionally, please review “Scams and Identity Theft Attempts Targeting International Affiliates”, which can be found at https://www.hupd.harvard.edu/scams-targeting-international-affiliates.