Phishing
Phishing is the attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money), often for malicious reasons, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. The word is a neologism created as a homophone of fishing due to the similarity of using a bait in an attempt to catch a victim.
PHISHING EMAIL REPORTING
- If you receive a phishing email, it does not mean your account was hacked or a University
system was compromised. Email addresses are publicly available across many different
websites and services. If you have questions about the validity of a request or want
IT to review your computer system and run a scan, contact the helpdesk at 419.530.2400.
- Please report any phishing emails by using the report message icon on your toolbar.
mOST RECENT PHISHING ATTEMPTS
What do you do if you suspect a phishing attack
If you get an email or a text message that asks you to click on a link or open an
attachment, answer this question: Do I have an account with the company or know the person that contacted me?
If the answer is “No,” it could be a phishing scam.
If the answer is “Yes,” contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real. Do not contact
the information in the email. Attachments and links can install harmful malware.
What to do if you responded to a phishing email
If you think a scammer has your information, like your UTAD password, call the helpdesk
immediately at 419.530.2400. IT technicians will walk you through the steps to change
your password.
If you think you clicked on a link or opened an attachment that downloaded harmful
software, provide the helpdesk with your computer tag number and they can run a scan.
If it is on your personal machine, you can run a scan yourself with your workstation’s
security tools.