Dear Colleagues,

Recently, one of our fellow Community Colleges was attacked by a scam called “CEO Fraud.” CEO Fraud is where cybercriminals use fake executive email accounts and attempt to fool employees into responding with confidential information.

Employees tend to respond quickly when an email is received from executives, and cyber criminals prey on this response. Last year, members of LBCC’s Fiscal Department received an email from our “president” asking for confidential banking information. Luckily, they did not respond because they spotted the nuances within the email that tipped them off to the scam.

With the new term starting, ITS wants to remind everyone to please be aware of these phishing attacks. Some typical indicators of an email phishing attempt include:

• Poor Spelling and Bad Grammar: Many phishing scams can be identified by multiple instances of improper spelling and misuse of the English language.
• Spoofed Email Address: Fraudulent email address to mislead the recipient about the origin of the message.
• Threats: Many phishing attempts come in the form of threats such as account suspension, or notifications that your security has been compromised.
• Links in emails: If you are unsure of the origin of an email, and it contains links, do not click on them. Instead, hover your mouse over the link to display the real address. If it looks suspicious, do not click on it.
• Popular Website Spoofing: Some phishing attempts appear legitimate because they mimic the look and feel of commonly known applications or services.

Do you know how to spot a scam? Do you know what to do if you receive one? Learn how to Recognize Phishing Attempts and take the online phishing quiz at the bottom of the page.