7 ways Clemson employees can avoid phishing scams
Staff,
Office of Information Security
September 9, 2022
Clemson University employees are frequently targeted with phishing emails by cybercriminals. Here are a few simple steps, to help you avoid falling victim to a phishing scam.
- Check the sender’s name and email address. Sender email addresses can be faked, or they may be cleverly disguised. Is the sender’s email address actually a Clemson email address?
- Beware of requests for immediate action. Be cautious of messages that imply a problem will occur if immediate action is not taken. Cybercriminals want you to have a sense of urgency and possibly fear.
- Watch for generic addressing. Beware of “Dear User” or “Dear Employee.” People who send you an email requesting action should know your name.
- Look for grammatical and spelling errors. These issues can occur in any message, but are often seen in phishing emails.
- Be careful with website links. It can be difficult to tell if links in an email really go to the expected website. If the link is suspect, open a browser and type in the website address manually yourself.
- Don’t open email attachments. If you do not know the sender or you are not expecting a file, don’t open it.
- Report Phishing emails. If you do get a suspicious email, use the Report Phishing button in Outlook, or forward to phishing@clemson.edu
Make sure to check the Office of Information Security’s Cybersecurity Alerts page for up-to-date information on new threats, security updates and more.
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