Phish: Today is U of T Giving Day – Give & Claim Your Reward!

Published: August 26, 2024

This email poses as a legitimate email for U of T Giving Day, a real U of T initiative, and asks recipients to donate cryptocurrency for the opportunity to win a laptop. U of T does not ask for donations in cryptocurrency. Always check the University’s official websites or contact the sender in person if you are unsure whether an email is legitimate.

Phish bowl

Email details

Subject:

Today is U of T Giving Day – Give & Claim Your Reward!

Hi,

Today marks the third annual University of Toronto Giving Day!

As an alumnus and current Vice-President and Provost of the University of Toronto, I am honored to announce to you of the new development of accepting cryptocurrencies for the third annual giving day.

This is yet another wonderful opportunity for you as a valued member of the U of T community, to get involved in making a difference and support inclusive excellence at U of T by Giving in Crypto!

We continually acknowledge how incredibly rewarding it is to play a role in supporting revolutionary advances in research, help students gain vital critical thinking skills and invest in the success of the next generation of leaders.

We are excited about what the future holds in the Crypto and Blockchain Space and believe that we’ve just scratched the surface of its through revolutionary advances in research.

With the value of many cryptocurrencies rising, the University of Toronto community is in a position to make a wide-reaching impact, and we can do even more with the support of our community behind us.

Today I invite you to get involved by donating crypto in any amount to U of T *malicious link*

Your contribution will immediately impact students and researchers at the University of Toronto, including by reducing financial stress so they can focus on making a difference in the world.

NOTE: As a gesture of appreciation, the first 150 new crypto donors will get Alienware m18 R2 Gaming Laptop as a reward from U of T.

Thank you so much for your support, and for being an important part of the University of Toronto community.

With gratitude,

*Fake email signature posing as U of T leadership*

P.S. There a limited time to make this donation! Please make a crypto gift now at U of T.
*Malicious link*

Phishing cues

  • Poses as a trusted or legitimate source

    The sender poses as a U of T leader to influence the recipient into taking action.

  • Spelling and grammar mistakes

    The email contains spelling mistakes and grammatically incorrect sentences.

  • Unprofessional design or formatting

    The email lacks typical professional formatting including a personalized greeting, legitimate signature and contact information.

  • Sense of urgency

    The email offers a generous reward for donating quickly. This sense of urgency encourages the reader to act under pressure without thinking.

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If you have received a suspicious email like this one, please report it to report.phishing@utoronto.ca and delete it immediately from your mailbox. Don’t click any links, download attachments, engage with the sender or share the email with your contacts. If you engaged with the sender, please contact security.response@utoronto.ca immediately.