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“Phishing” is a method of informational or identity theft that is initialized by a fraudulent email, website, or other means.

Here are some ways to identify phishing emails:

Sender’s Address:  In an email, you may typically see a Display Name and an Email Address.  You might see something listed like this:  ‘Jill Klein’ <>.  Do not just check the name; look at the address for a trusted domain like pitzer.edu.

Urgency:  Phishing emails instill a sense of urgency like your account is about to be deactivated or a file you need to review right away.  This urgency is deliberate so that you don’t spend time scrutinizing the email for mistakes.

Links and Attachments:  It is common for an email to include a link to click on, but if you hover your mouse cursor over the link, it should provide the actual URL path of where it’s sending you.  Always check a link before you click on it.  For example  text may say: Bank of America website – hover your mouse cursor over the “Bank of America,” and you may see that the web link is actually taking you to ɬ�﷬���� or other unrelated website.  Always be on your guard with links and attachments.  Be vary careful with attachments that have .html, .zip, .exe, .dmg files in them; make sure they came from an expected and trusted source.

Use Your Instinct:  Does an email from Michelle Muturi asking for Target gift cards seem out of place?  Is this document link to a recommendation letter something you expected to receive from this person?  Take your time and look for grammar mistakes or other signs that it may be a phishing attack.

Personal Accounts:  Remember, these emails can appear in your personal email account, not just your school email.  Your personal email may be linked to several social media sites, including LinkedIn, so it is a prime target for spear phishing scams.