UWM IT is alerting UWM faculty, staff and students to an unusual email scam that involves musical instruments.

Watch for these red flags in musical instrument scams :

• A scammer will email you with some information about musical instruments that are available for free or for purchase.
• If the instrument is being promised for free, the scammer will ask that you pay for shipping fees.
• The scammer will ask that you respond to the email or text privately to plan for the musical instrument to be sent to you.

To see an example of a musical instrument scam email, see this UWM IT posting.

Here’s what to do if you receive a musical instrument email scam:

• Do not respond to these requests.
• If you believe you have received a musical instrument scam in your inbox, or are unsure, forward the email to UWM’s Information Security team at abuse@uwm.edu. This notifies our information security experts, and they can help you determine if the email is a scam.
• If you receive a musical instrument request from someone you know, contact them in an alternate way, and confirm if they sent the email. Do not respond to any phone numbers listed in the email.
• If you believe you have been a victim of a musical instrument scam, please contact the UWM Help Desk.

For more information about cybersecurity, visit UWM’s Cybersecurity website.