This article reviews what spam and phishing are, as well as how to protect yourself.
Phishing
Phishing is any communication with the purpose of gaining your personal information to compromise your account. Attackers will use your account to send similar messages to unsuspecting recipients.
Note: Phishing comes in many forms!
- Text
- QR code
- Phone call
Identifying phishing
- Threatening or aggressive language
- Time-sensitive actions
- Convincing you to click a link or reply
Attention: Email addresses can be hidden or spoofed, allowing attackers to disguise themselves as trusted individuals. You can determine the true sender of an email by clicking or tapping the From address.
Before:
After:
I think I'm compromised!
- Change your College password
- Contact the Help Desk
Spam
Spam is unsolicited email. Much like physical junk mail, spam can simply be deleted or ignored. Microsoft 365's Online Protection features automatically identify and block spam emails – but no anti-spam solution is perfect!
Identifying spam
Warning: Never click a link or attachment from an unknown sender. Attackers can include malware that infects your device. Unsure if an email is legitimate? Forward it to the Help Desk for review!
- Advertising an item or service for purchase
- Offers of free meetings, consultations, or items
Blocking spam
- Do not respond to unknown senders
- Mark items as Junk
- Report messages to the Help Desk
- Be wary of sites asking for your College email
Questions?
If you have any additional questions or problems, don't hesitate to reach out to the Help Desk!
Phone: 610-526-7440 | Library and Help Desk hours
Email: help@brynmawr.edu | Service catalog
Location: Canaday Library 1st floor
