Last year on June 13, journalist and former anchor of ‘Left, Right and Centre’ Nidhi Razdan shared that she would be leaving NDTV as she was offered a job as an “Associate Professor of Journalism” at Harvard University. According to The Indian Express, she has now revealed that the offer wasn’t genuine and she had been the victim of a phishing attack.
NDTV quoted her saying,
“I had been given to believe that I would be joining the University in September 2020. While I was making preparations to take up my new assignment, I was later told that due to the ongoing pandemic, my classes would commence in January 2021. Along with these delays, I began noticing a number of administrative anomalies in the process being described to me.”
I have been the victim of a very serious phishing attack. I’m putting this statement out to set the record straight about what I’ve been through. I will not be addressing this issue any further on social media. pic.twitter.com/bttnnlLjuh
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) January 15, 2021
She added,
“The perpetrators of this attack used clever forgeries and misrepresentations to obtain access to my personal data and communications and may have also gained access to my devices and my email/social media accounts.”
While some people pointed out that the Ivy League institution does not have a journalism department, others acknowledged the courage it must have taken to admit to being a victim of such a fraud on social media. A few people remarked that this incident serves as a reminder to always verify before trusting anything.
Wow — this is awful.
For the record, @Harvard has no school of journalism, no department of journalism, and no professors of journalism.
(It does have @niemanfdn! But we have no faculty and no classes. And it does have @ShorensteinCtr, but no journalism-specific faculty.) https://t.co/AiMYkcrB6Q
— Joshua Benton (@jbenton) January 15, 2021
She should have checked the website
Harvard doesn't even have a journalism school or department https://t.co/Eo5I8EQIp2
— Norbert Elekes (@NorbertElekes) January 15, 2021
On a serious note if a senior journalist got almost conned like this, what hope does a middle class common man has to protect themselves against these kind of attacks? Paranoia is going to be the only option in this way! https://t.co/qZewBv31uV
— Debjyoti Bose (@DebBose_) January 16, 2021
Be careful people. If this can happen to a senior journalist it can happen to any of us #NidhiRazdan https://t.co/1tDdFjgMyz
— kunal kohli (@kunalkohli) January 16, 2021
What happened to @Nidhi is a reminder that anyone could be phished or victim of a Cyber attack.
The importance of double/triple checking through multiple routes is the lesson everyone should learn whether you are laughing at her or sympathising with her. https://t.co/cQ1Brvtfcw— Vijay Ganapathy G (@VijayGanapathyG) January 16, 2021
This is shocking and wrong! No one deserves this. That Nidhi is such a lovely, super smart anchor who would make a great J school professor makes it so much worse. Ugh! https://t.co/lx2czVmarJ
— Lakshmi Chaudhry (@ElChaudhry) January 16, 2021
Props to Nidhi Razdan for admitting she fell for what was clearly a long con. By opening herself up to being mocked and ridiculed, she’s helped everyone be a little more alert and wary of being scammed. She didn’t need to do anything of the sort.
— Deepanjana (@dpanjana) January 15, 2021
Nidhi Razdan could have easily said she's changed her mind, instead of speaking about what happened with her openly. Deserves credit for choosing the rarer and braver route instead, knowing well it'd invite derision. There's a lesson for all of us in this.
— Sayantan Ghosh (@sayantansunnyg) January 15, 2021
Several Twitter users reacted with humour and compared the incident with Mike Ross’ arc in the series ‘Suits’.
Nothing but just a photo of the Harvard University meeting room where #NidhiRazdan was interviewed. pic.twitter.com/aClpbVFU7L
— Cabi Vro || Marwadi99 Stan (@memenist_) January 15, 2021
#NidhiRazdan from now whenever she will receive offer letter from #HarvardUniversity: pic.twitter.com/zRnBS0tQbo
— Jagruti 💁💃 (@are_sararara) January 16, 2021
Moral of #NidhiRazdan story –
A fish in hand is worth more than phising in the mail.
— Just B (@JustPunforfun) January 16, 2021
JUST LAUNCHED
Harvard University T-Shirt
order now #NidhiRazdan #Nidhified #Nidhi pic.twitter.com/EAgwYxNHOo— Roheet Sarvaiye (@MagicalprintsG) January 16, 2021
People who didn't go to Harvard https://t.co/xJxw203Yd9 pic.twitter.com/v0wXB4stao
— Akage🎄 (@SiriuslyDead_) January 15, 2021
The journalist shared this follow up tweet yesterday.
I’ve been overwhelmed by the calls & messages of support including the DMs here. I apologise for not writing back immediately. I’m taking a well earned break from social media for a few days & will return refreshed and as good as new. In the mean time keep safe everyone.
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) January 15, 2021
What are your thoughts on the matter? Tell us!