An email sent out to students on Nov. 1, asking for student social security information was sent to the wrong population.

According to the Student Financial Services office the email was a result of an email glitch, and they assure that student  information was not compromised.

Eastern is required by federal law to report student social security numbers to the IRS, which most students provide on their application, but those who have not already provided that information were meant to get the email. The message clearly stated that the form attached was supposed to be filled out and brought in-person to Fiscal Specialist Supervisor Tanya Charles.

A follow-up email was sent three days later explaining that the email had been sent to the wrong students and was to be disregarded. Charles explained that Eastern uses a group email system to get information out to students and this particular email glitch caused it to be delivered to students it was not intended for.

Director of Student Financial Services, Dennis Wilson, assured that the email was not spam and was not dangerous, just sent to the wrong population.

“It’s nothing to be worried about, we’re just required by law to notify people if they are missing that information. We are required to contact them,” Wilson said.

To protect students’ information the Student Financial Services never request information through email and always send a link to EagleNet to students regarding their account balances and other information rather than sending any of their account information by email.

“There are absolutely no concerns about security,” Charles said regarding the email glitch.

Charles said that students should never send personal information over the Internet or email, and if they receive a suspicious email they should contact the people responsible and verify validity before sharing any information.