Last month, Southern Oregon University (SOU) announced that it was the victim of a $1.9 million phishing scheme. SOU received an email purportedly from their contractor, Anderson Construction, requesting the April payment for construction on the McNeal Pavilion and Student Recreation Center. An employee then sent funds to a bank account that the contractor did not control. SOU learned of the scheme three days later when the contractor reported that it never received the payment.
Law enforcement are investigating and efforts are currently underway to recover the funds. SOU General Counsel Jason Catz stated that the school has learned from law enforcement sources that it is not the only victim to this particular scheme, which has targeted other higher education institutions.