About phishing
Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals send an email that appears to be from a legitimate company and ask you to provide sensitive information. This is usually done by including a link that will appear to take you to the company’s website to fill in your information – but the website is a clever fake and the information you provide goes straight to the crooks behind the scam.
The term ’phishing’ is a spin on the word fishing, because criminals are dangling a fake ’lure’ (the email that looks legitimate, as well as a website that looks legitimate) hoping users will ’bite’ by providing the information the criminals have requested – such as credit card numbers, account numbers, passwords, usernames, and more.
How do I spot a phishing email?
- The email doesn’t specify your name.
"Dear Customer" or “Dear” isn’t an identifier. If you receive an email like this, there is a very high chance that this is a phishing email.
- The email asks you to confirm personal information.
Keep an eye out for emails requesting you to confirm personal information that you normally do not disclose.
3 signs you are possibly being scammed:
1. You are being pressured to act immediately. Scammers may pose as someone or an organization you know and say there is a problem that needs immediate attention. DO NOT act unless you have verified the person who has contacted you is legitimate.
2. You're asked to provide personal information and/or verification codes. When in doubt, DO NOT disclose this type of information. Most organizations will not ask for this information when conducting business with you.
3. You're asked to pay or submit payment in an unusual way. Be wary if you are asked to pay by gift cards, payment apps, or digital currency.
These are the latest campaigns seen by the Information Security Office. If you receive any other kinds of scamming or phishing messages, please forward the message to phishing@rice.edu.
2026/09/28 - 09:37:35 (UTC -05:00)
Document Attached for Review Invitation: Document Attached for Review @ Mon Sep 28, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am (CDT) (NetID@rice.edu)
The attacker created several calendar invitations and emails that included a malicious link.
2026/09/28 - 09:37:35 (UTC -05:00)
Subject: Document Attached for Review Invitation: Document Attached for Review @ Mon Sep 28, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am (CDT) (NetID@rice.edu)
To: undisclosed-recipients
2026/09/23 - 21:10:12 (UTC -05:00)
Request for Students research participants
The email content is empty. There is a word attachment that includes the job definition and a Gmail address to contact.
2026/09/23 - 21:10:12 (UTC -05:00)
Subject: Request for Students research participants
To: undisclosed-recipients
46241
Item shared with you: "Summer_Faculty_Compensation_Benefits_Revisions_2026.docm"
bl053139@sdale[.]org attempt to impersonate Rice staff Christopher M. Johns-Krull through a shared Google Drive.
46241
Subject: Item shared with you: "Summer_Faculty_Compensation_Benefits_Revisions_2026.docm"
To: undisclosed-recipients
2026-07-30T10:54:17-05:00
Item shared with you: "Summer Faculty Compensation & Benefits Revision Notice.docm"
Philip Kortum's compromised Rice account attempted to impersonate Rice staff Anthony Várilly-Alvarado through a shared Google Drive.
2026-07-30T10:54:17-05:00
Subject: Item shared with you: "Summer Faculty Compensation & Benefits Revision Notice.docm"
To: undisclosed-recipients
2026-07-02T09:31:46-05:00
Item shared with you: "Employee_Misconduct_Report_Alleged_Sexual_Harassment.docm"
A sender called Matthew Castro attempted to impersonate Rice staff Caleb McDaniel through a shared Google Drive.
2026-07-02T09:31:46-05:00
Subject: Item shared with you: "Employee_Misconduct_Report_Alleged_Sexual_Harassment.docm"
To: undisclosed-recipients
Mon, 13 Jul 2026 03:45:54 AM (CDT)
Campus Academic Assistance
Sender is pretending to be from the Office of Financial Aid and offering fake financial assistance. They're trying to trick the user into contacting the following email millsapsangie@gmail[.]com in the attached png
Mon, 13 Jul 2026 03:45:54 AM (CDT)
Subject: Campus Academic Assistance
To: undisclosed-recipients
Sun Jul 05 2026 01:00:00 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)
Rice Sexual Misconduct Awareness and Reporting Resources SuRice Sexual Misconduct Awareness and Reporting Resources Rice Repeated Misconduct Awareness and Reporting Resources
Sender is trying to trick the user into opening the Google Drive and download a malicious file.
Sun Jul 05 2026 01:00:00 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)
Subject: Rice Sexual Misconduct Awareness and Reporting Resources SuRice Sexual Misconduct Awareness and Reporting Resources Rice Repeated Misconduct Awareness and Reporting Resources
To: undisclosed-recipients
Wed Jun 24 2026 01:00:00 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)
Research Fellowship Application
Fake fellowship opportunity claiming to be from the career center
Wed Jun 24 2026 01:00:00 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)
Subject: Research Fellowship Application
To: undisclosed-recipients
Thu Jul 02 2026 10:38:00 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)
Item shared with you: "Employee_Misconduct_Report_Alleged_Sexual_Harassment.docm"
Sender is trying to trick the user into opening the Google Drive. Sender's address is from Saint Elizabeth University, but the file in the Drive is shared from the Vice Provost for Facculty Affairs at Dartmouth College
Thu Jul 02 2026 10:38:00 GMT-0500 (Central Daylight Time)
Subject: Item shared with you: "Employee_Misconduct_Report_Alleged_Sexual_Harassment.docm"
To: undisclosed-recipients
Thu, Jul 2, 2026 at 10:59 AM
RICE REPEATED STUDENT REPORT
Sender is falsely claiming that the Dean of Students shared a google drive that contains a malicious file.
Thu, Jul 2, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Subject: RICE REPEATED STUDENT REPORT
To: undisclosed-recipients
Other Scams
If you receive any other kind of scamming or phishing message, please report it to phishing@rice.edu.