Be aware of email phishing attempts
There have been a few phishing attempts that have been circulating through George Fox emails. These attempts can come in various forms, and they are sent to try to gain access to either your email account or to confidential information. So that you don’t fall victim to these attempts, please review the guidelines below.
If you feel you’ve received a suspicious email, check the following:
- The sender’s address. If it is unrecognizable or something similar to, but not exactly, the sender’s normal email address, it could be an attempt. Please note that a similar email address does not mean the original email address has been compromised; this is called a spoofing account.
Examples of email addresses used in recent phishing attempts: “rbaker@my.com” and “mshelton.georgefox.edu@gmail.com.”
- Any link or odd instructions. If the email directs you to click on a link (even something familiar such as iTunes, etc.) or input sensitive information, it could be an attempt to get your password or other important information. Verify with the sender personally if you are suspicious.
If you feel that you have received some sort of phishing attempt:
- Email the Service Desk at servicedesk@georgefox.edu.
- Mark the email as “spam” in your Gmail inbox, which will then make Google aware of the issue.
- Request that anyone who has been emailed via the attempt also mark it as “spam” in their inbox.
- If you did not click on any links or reply, you do not need to do anything further.
- If you did click on a link or send a reply with sensitive information, you’ll want to change your password as soon as you can in MyGFU (this will automatically update your email password). Then go through the Settings in your Gmail account to look for anything amiss, such as an unfamiliar forwarding address or vacation-responder that you never created.
Feel free to call the Service Desk at 503-545-2569 and press “2” if you would like help walking through these steps.