Body
Information Technology Security at CSS serves as an information station for faculty, staff, and students group at The College of St. Scholastica to learn about how to protect themselves against harm that may come via the internet, network, and data. We will provide updates and information on various topics, such as Privacy, Mobile Security, Phishing, Social Media Security, and Safe Browsing using multimedia content forms including text, audio, video, and animation to protect you from IT security attacks.
Phishing Scams
What Is Phishing?
Phishing is a preferred method of attack where phishers send emails that appear to be from an authoritative source, such as from PayPal, the help desk, the Administrator, or your bank. Usually, the email warns you about your account status and asks you to reply, update, or confirm your account information.
If you suspect an email is malicious, please report the suspected scam, spam, and/or phishing email to IT Security. Please do not forward the email to anyone.
What Are the Risks of Phishing?
The consequence of responding to these fraudulent emails can be serious. Once a phisher has your account information, they can steal your email account, steal information inside your email account, use your account to send spam, and launch more phishing attacks.
What Does Phishing Look Like?
Phishing emails may have spelling mistakes and use bad grammar; they may threaten that your account will be closed. Additionally, they try to get you to respond and act quickly without thinking. Asking you to click on a link within a phishing email is another common way that the phishers install malware on your computer, which can steal your personal information.
Test your phishing detection skills with this Google phishing game.
Phishing Phone Calls and Text Messages
Text message spam is target at your phone to steal personal information. It often promises you free gifts and offers to get your username and password, credit card number, or Social Security Number.
Once your information is revealed, it can lead to unwanted charges on your bill, bad phone performance, or identity theft.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) provides an article Text Message Spam to further discuss this threat. We encourage you to read the article and learn how to protect yourself against phishing scams and identity theft.
What to Do if Your Email Account Got Hacked
If you see messages in your sent folder that you didn't send, or there are logins from locations that you don't recognize, your email account might have been hacked.
What To Do When Your Email Gets Hacked is a great article that will walk you step-by-step to get everything back in order.
Identity Theft FAQs
Identity theft occurs when your credit, financial, or personal information is used for criminal activity or malicious intent.
How Do I Respond to Identity Theft?
Don't ignore it! It won't go away on its own.
In the CSS Environment
- Change your CSS password.
- Log in with your current username and password.
- In the upper-left-hand corner, click "Change Password."
- Enter your old password and new password twice.
- Click submit.
In Your Personal/Home Environment
- Change your personal passwords (financial institutions, online retail accounts, personal email accounts, etc.)
- Carefully review any bills or financial transactions you receive in the near future to ensure that the charges associated with your accounts are accurate.
How Do I Place a Fraud Alert on My Information?
Credit Bureaus
Call just one number to report identity theft and they will share the alert with each other!
Social Security Office
- Online Fraud Reporting form
- Or call the Fraud Hotline number at 1-800-269-0271 (TTY 1-866-501-2101) between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
What Else Can I Do to Protect My Credit and Identity Information?
Request a Free Credit Report
You are entitled to receive one free credit file disclosure every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
This free credit file can be requested through this form.
Review your file for new accounts that have been opened or requested. Make sure it contains nothing unexpected.
Where Can I Find More Information on Identity Theft?
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General
Federal Trade Commission