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 the 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
05/24/2022
Subject: “IT SECURITY NOTICE"
This is a phishing message via credential harvesting. It requests user to 'CLICK HERE' on a link to update your email password. Please DO NOT CLICK on link. Text body:
Date: Tue, May 24, 2022 at 2:18 PM
Subject: IT Security Notice
_______________________________________________________
05/23/2022
Subject: “ACCOUNT DE-ACTIVATION IN PROGRESS (Final reminder)"
This is another phishing message warning that user password is expiring and to open an attachement to keep the same password. Please DO NOT DOWNLOAD the file or any other files. Text body:
Date: Mon, May 23, 2022 at 12:37 PM
Subject: ACCOUNT DE-ACTIVATION IN PROGRESS (Final reminder)
To: yourNetID@rice.edu
Dear yourNetID@rice.edu,
Your password expires (today's date). You can use your current password.
Open attachment to keep same password.
-----------
Student
Rice University Class of 2022
Materials Science and NanoEngineering
_______________________________________________________
05/18/2022
Subject: “ACCOUNT DE-ACTIVATION IN PROGRESS (Final reminder)"
This is a phishing message warning that customers who have not updated their email account will no longer be able to log into their rice.edu email and that all data, messages, and files will be permanently deleted. It requests the user to verify their email address to confirm by "Kindly downloading a copy of rice.edu verification form". Please DO NOT DOWNLOAD the file or any other files. Text body:
Date: Wed, May 18, 2022 at 17:44 PM
Subject: ACCOUNT DE-ACTIVATION IN PROGRESS (Final reminder)
To: yourNetID@rice.edu
Starting from May 20, 2022, rice.edu! customer's who have no updated their email account will no longer be able to log into their rice.edu email addresses. and all data, messages and files will be permanently deleted from rice.edu network, due to subsequent verification failure and junk filtering.
Customer's will have to verify their email address to confirm, Once verification is done successfully you will be redirected back to your inbox.
Kindly Download a copy of rice.edu verification form, we apologize for any inconvenience caused.
_______________________________________________________
05/09/2022
Subject: “ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT NEEDED"
This is a phishing message for a fake job opportunity that requests user to send your full name, phone number, and year of study. Please DO NOT REPLY/SEND any personal info to the listed email address or text to the listed phone number. Text body:
Date: Mon, May 9, 2022 at 9:59 AM
Subject: ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT ASSISTANT NEEDED
To: undisclosed-recipients
_______________________________________________________
04/07/2022
Subject: “RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY!!"
This is a phishing message for a fake job opportunity that requests user to send resume or cell phone, department or year of study. Please DO NOT REPLY/SEND any personal info to the listed email address or text to the listed phone number. Text body:
Date: Wed, Apr 6, 2022 at 3:36 PM
Subject: RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY!!
To:
Professor Sanjay Pandiri
_______________________________________________________
04/01/2022
Subject: “***UNCHECKED*** RE: <your address>"
This is a phishing message varying in language, containing an attachment to an encrypted .zip file containing an Excel sheet with malware. Do not click on attachment or provide any passwords.
_______________________________________________________
03/07/2022
Subject: "IT Alert: PASSWORD EXPIRED"
This is a phishing message containing a button link to a fake Rice webpage to login with NetID account and password. Do not click on link or enter any credentials.
From: <IT@rice.edu>
Date: Thu, Mar 3, 2022 at 11:09 PM
Subject: IT ALERT : PASSWORD EXPIRED
To: <netID@rice.edu>
|
ID : netID@rice.edu Your email password expires today 3/3/2022 9:09:28 p.m. To keep using same password for netID@rice.edu |
|---|
| (с) 2022 rice.edu Cooperation |
_______________________________________________________
02/23/2022
Subject: "eServices Alert"
This is a phishing message containing a link to login to NetID account to recover messages. Do not click on link or enter any credentials.
---------- Forwarded Message ---------
From: Rice University <kcomer@rice.edu>
Date: Wed, Feb 23, 2022 at 8:23 AM
Subject: eServices Alert.
To: <netid@rice.edu>
Hi netID,
Due to a server error on your e-mail, (netid@rice.edu) (5) incoming messages were delayed.
Log on to your portal to recover your delayed messages
Rice University Message Center
_______________________________________________________
02/21/2022
Subject: “Alert: Your Covid Result"
This is a phishing message containing an attachment to view Covid result. Do not click on attachment.
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rice University <krentel@rice.edu>
Date: Mon, Feb 21, 2022 at 9:22 AM
Subject: Alert: Your Covid Result.
To: <netid@rice.edu>
Hi ,
Attached is a copy of your Covid-19 result test.
_______________________________________________________
02/21/2022
Subject: “Alert: Payroll Schedule"
This is a phishing message requesting user to click link to view important payroll notification and enter credentials. Do not click on links or attachments.
Delivery Alert
2/18/2022, 02:54:07 PM
An important payroll notification awaits you.
To view this message please click the View Message button below
View Message
Email Detail Summary
Recipient: <netid@rice.edu>
Subject: Payroll Schedule
_______________________________________________________
02/11/2022
Subject: "UNICEF Part-Time job opportunity with weekly pay of $600.00"
This is a phishing scam that requests user to follow steps in the attached .pdf document that requests for private emails, full name, age, address, and mobile phone number. Please DO NOT SEND any info to the listed email address of fayaz.king@unicfemploymentts.org. Text body:
I am sharing job opportunity information to students/staff who might be interested in a paid UNICEF Part-Time job with a weekly pay of $600.00.
Attached is further information about the employment details.
Kindly follow the steps in the attached document and contact Henrietta H. Fore with your non-official email address I.e. Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, icloud etc.) For more details on the job. Remember to send the email from your "PRIVATE EMAIL" and not your "SCHOOL EMAIL". Responses coming from school emails MIGHT not be considered for further review.
Take note; this is strictly a work-from-home position.
Sincerely,
Fayaz King
Director, Supply Division
fayaz.king@unicfemploymentts.org
_______________________________________________________
02/01/2022
Subject: "EMAIL UPDATE REQUIRED"
This is a phishing scam that requests the user to click on "VALIDATE YOUR ACCOUNT" button. Please DO NOT CLICK on malicious button/link. Text body:
Validate Your Account
Kindly validate your Rice email address to continue using the mail services.
Please click on the button below and validate your account.
Failure to validate your account within the next 48 hours will lead to your account being inactive and
will eventually be disabled.
VALIDATE YOUR ACCOUNT
123 Street Address,
XX City, State Zip
Rice University
_______________________________________________________
01/12/2022
Subject: "Someone shared "FACULTY EVALUATION" with you."
This is a phishing message containing a Word attachment to open. DO NOT OPEN please.
_______________________________________________________
Other Scams
If you receive any other kind of scamming or phishing message, please send a ticket to helpdesk@rice.edu.