Am I paranoid, or is this dodgy?

I have an email in my inbox from 'A Ogunbanjo ([email protected])'. The email address looks fine to me, but the email itself looks a little like something that has come from a personal email account rather than from someone with a position at a university:

Dear Ebony,

We would like to acknowledge the receipt of your UCAS form. Could you please provide us with a copy of your tanscript as soon as possible. This would contribute a great deal to the effective processing of your application form.

Kind Regards,
Adekemi

That's it. No surname, no contact details or job title at the bottom, nothing. In fact, if it weren't for the '@sheffield.ac.uk' bit at the end of the email, I wouldn't know where the hell this came from or what they wanted. It's so short with very little explanation, and to date I have had no correspondence at all with Sheffield Uni.

It's probably just me being a little over-cautious...and besides, what's the worst someone could do with an emailed copy of my transcript?

What do you think?

Reply 1

Afrotortina

2

Maybe you could ring up the university and ask them if that's the normal procedure? My choices didnt ask me... sounds a bit odd. Good luck!

Reply 2

**debbie**

hi

best thing to do would be contact the uni and ask them :smile:

Reply 3

Mithra

2

Definitely ring them up, can't hurt.

Reply 4

kellywellydoodle

12

EbonyG

I have an email in my inbox from 'A Ogunbanjo ([email protected])'. The email address looks fine to me, but the email itself looks a little like something that has come from a personal email account rather than from someone with a position at a university:

Dear Ebony,

We would like to acknowledge the receipt of your UCAS form. Could you please provide us with a copy of your tanscript as soon as possible. This would contribute a great deal to the effective processing of your application form.

Kind Regards,
Adekemi

That's it. No surname, no contact details or job title at the bottom, nothing. In fact, if it weren't for the '@sheffield.ac.uk' bit at the end of the email, I wouldn't know where the hell this came from or what they wanted. It's so short with very little explanation, and to date I have had no correspondence at all with Sheffield Uni.

It's probably just me being a little over-cautious...and besides, what's the worst someone could do with an emailed copy of my transcript?

What do you think?

Hmm I understand what you mean, sounds a little odd. What about contacting the university and asking if it was genuinely sent by them? If I were you I wouldn't send anything until I was certain that it was the university that had asked for it. It could be someone trying to get your details or anything, you're right too feel a bit dubious about it...I know I would be.

K x

Reply 5

EbonyG

OP

Mithra

Definitely ring them up, can't hurt.

Only my bank account, seeing as I'd be calling from a mobile in Australia :rolleyes:

Reply 6

thedude78

6

EbonyG

I have an email in my inbox from 'A Ogunbanjo ([email protected])'. The email address looks fine to me, but the email itself looks a little like something that has come from a personal email account rather than from someone with a position at a university:

Dear Ebony,

We would like to acknowledge the receipt of your UCAS form. Could you please provide us with a copy of your tanscript as soon as possible. This would contribute a great deal to the effective processing of your application form.

Kind Regards,
Adekemi

That's it. No surname, no contact details or job title at the bottom, nothing. In fact, if it weren't for the '@sheffield.ac.uk' bit at the end of the email, I wouldn't know where the hell this came from or what they wanted. It's so short with very little explanation, and to date I have had no correspondence at all with Sheffield Uni.

It's probably just me being a little over-cautious...and besides, what's the worst someone could do with an emailed copy of my transcript?

What do you think?

Well, i guess the surname is Ogunbanjo, so I'd ring sheffield and ask to speak to him/her.

Reply 7

EbonyG

OP

Afrotortina

Maybe you could ring up the university and ask them if that's the normal procedure? My choices didnt ask me... sounds a bit odd. Good luck!

Well Edinburgh Uni actually asked the same thing of me a few days ago, only much more convincingly. I sent it and got a confirmation that it was received and all is well so far...

Also, this current 'issue' with Sheffield doesn't really bother me much seeing as I have an offer from Cardiff, and my preference order has always been Edinburgh -> Cardiff -> Sheffield.

Reply 8

Mithra

2

EbonyG

Only my bank account, seeing as I'd be calling from a mobile in Australia :rolleyes:

Fair enough :p:

.

Alternatively, just send your transcript to a known sheffield address which seems like the right one (found off their website or something). At worst they will reply saying "wtf?", at best they will say "thank you very much".

Reply 9

thedude78

6

EbonyG

Only my bank account, seeing as I'd be calling from a mobile in Australia :rolleyes:

Why not buy an international phonecard for $5 and then you just have to stick 20 cents in a telstra payphone and you get lots of minutes?

Cloncom.com are good for these.

Reply 10

heidigirl

17

The name doesn't come up with a staff search on Sheffield uni's website. And the only google search of the name with Sheffield university comes up with this post.

Definitely something odd.

Reply 11

dannylj

10

email the university then

Reply 12

EbonyG

OP

Absinth

Check the e-mail header. The e-mail might not even be from Sheffield.

This is my point - there is no header at all. The text I posted in italics is exactly everything I see when I open the email.

Reply 13

EbonyG

OP

Mithra

Alternatively, just send your transcript to a known sheffield address which seems like the right one (found off their website or something). At worst they will reply saying "wtf?", at best they will say "thank you very much".

I like the way you think, this inconveniences me the least. Nice work :smile:

Thanks.

Reply 14

username324526

14

EbonyG

This is my point - there is no header at all. The text I posted in italics is exactly everything I see when I open the email.

A lot of emails like these are written by administritive staff. My Queen Mary open day email was like this. Stop worrying and send the bloody transcript, its not like he asked for pictures of your vagina...

Reply 15

boho

1

get a skype account. costs like 0.012p a minute to call international numbers

Reply 16

butter.bean

Foward the email to the admissions staff at Sheffield and ask them if they know about it? Seems abit dodgy to me...

Reply 17

The-Wi$e-One

2

i could in theory send an email from @ sheffield.ac.uk so I would phone them.
oh and i'm not at sheffield uni :tongue:

Reply 18

EbonyG

OP

MissFanatical

A lot of emails like these are written by administritive staff. My Queen Mary open day email was like this. Stop worrying and send the bloody transcript, its not like he asked for pictures of your vagina...

Or she, let's not make assumptions...