Email Scams and Phishing
What if my account has been compromised?
Take this seriously, but don't panic.
If you suspect that your account has been compromised (hacked) in any way or if you see suspicious activity in your account, IMMEDIATELY take the following steps:
Change your password
Complete the Gmail Security Checklist - Click here
Contact the SBA Help Desk - cell phone numbers are to the left
Marking Emails as SPAM
One of the best things you can do for the entire SBA community of email users is to regularly mark any emails you believe are SPAM. Here is how:
Select the email in question
Click the SPAM Icon (stop sign with exclamation point)
You CANNOT mark email as SPAM from your iPhone
Phishing…Don’t Take the Bait!
Phishing attacks are becoming more widespread and dangerous each year as cybercriminals are honing phishing techniques. These techniques include: mass-scale phishing (attack where fraudsters cast a wide net of attacks that aren't highly targeted), spear-phishing (attack tailored to a specific victim or group of victims using personal details), and whaling (specialized type of spear phishing that targets a "big" victim within an organization, such as a CFO or Head of School). All of these techniques aggressively attempt to trick users, at all organizational levels, into providing sensitive information.
Because phishing emails are evolving constantly to appear more legitimate, we've provided some reminders to help you recognize and avoid phishing scams.
Be aware of:
Sender details
Recall prior relationships with senders and organizations to help determine if an email is legitimate.
Be suspicious of unexpected emails sent to groups; an exception would be e-newsletters or mailing lists to which you've subscribed.
Be attentive to the FROM: field. If the email appears to come from YOU or a forged sender with a suspicious request, such as your company CEO asking you to perform unfamiliar tasks, it's either a phish or a scam known as email spoofing.
Context
Never fall victim to requests for sensitive information, such as login credentials or personal information. SBA IT WILL NEVER ASK YOU FOR YOUR LOGIN CREDENTIALS IN AN EMAIL.
Be on the lookout for offerings that are too good to be true, such as winning a contest you never entered.
Be cautious of messages containing a sense of urgency, promise, or threat.
Content
Never click links or email attachment from unknown senders; hovering over links will allow you to see the real URL to check if it's legitimate.
Be attentive to salutations or greetings (e.g. blank, font or font size differences; generic greetings, such as "Hello").
Always take note of misspellings and incorrect grammar; expect professional communications to be well-written.
If you suspect a phishing email, forward the email to helpdesk@silverdaleba.org and we will review it.
