UBIT Help Center will never text for your information

Hands holding a smart phone displaying the UB logo and a warning symbol with a red triangle and white exclamation point.
Portrait photo of Emily Duran

By Emily Duran
 IT Communications Intern

Published July 7, 2025

As new phishing scams continue to emerge, it is as important as ever to stay vigilant to keep your University at Buffalo accounts and personal information secure. Be aware of the newest phishing attempt targeting the UB community: a text message scam impersonating The UBIT Help Center.

What to look out for

UB Information Technology (UBIT) has recently become aware of a potential phishing threat being received by members of the UB community. These scam text messages may claim that your UBmail will be shut down, ask for your UBITName and password, or solicit personal information. 

They may appear to come from the UBIT Help Center, but these messages are not legitimate and could be used to access private UB resources and personal information.

UBIT will never ask for passwords or sensitive, personal information. The Help Center does not send unsolicited support messages, especially via text. Any message doing so should be immediately treated as a phishing attempt.

Receive a message? Here's how to handle it

Although UBIT cannot block these text scams directly, it is important to be aware of how to identify and handle these messages.

If you receive a message like this or one you suspect to be a phishing scam, take the following actions:

  1. Ignore the message: Do not reply, provide your password or any sensitive information, or click any links.
  2. Block the sender: Block the number or email address you received the message from to prevent further contact.
  3. Report the message to UBIT: Follow these directions to report the message as spam to UBIT to alert them to the threat and ensure your security.

Need more help?

To learn more about maintaining your technology security at UB, visit UBIT’s Safe Computing site.

The UBIT Help Center is also available anytime to assist faculty and staff. Students can also reach out to The UB Tech Squad for technology help at UB.

UB Information Technology News keeps UB students, faculty, and staff informed about their IT services and showcases creative collaborations between UBIT and the campus community. Published by the Office of the Chief Information Officer at UB and distributed via email as The Monthly Download. Edited by Diana Tuorto, IT Communication and Engagement, dianatuo@buffalo.edu.