{"id":9941,"date":"2018-11-21T13:27:14","date_gmt":"2018-11-21T18:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/?page_id=9941"},"modified":"2025-09-09T10:34:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T14:34:47","slug":"phishing-information","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/security\/phishing-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Phishing Information"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center\"><span class=\"prpl-button ghost-red\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/security\/?wp_logged_in=true\">Return to Information Security Home<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\"><strong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"12\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Phishing<\/strong> is a type of cyber scam where attackers try to trick you into giving away personal information\u2014like passwords, credit card numbers, or login credentials\u2014by pretending to be someone you trust, such as your bank, school, or a popular company. It often comes in the form of fake emails, texts, or websites.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">Did you hear about the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\">Phish Files<\/a>? Check out our new site!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center\">It&#8217;s the place to be when cyberspace gets a little <em>phishy<\/em>.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">What to Do if You Fell for a Scam<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\"><br \/>\n<a name=\"fell-for-scam\"><\/a>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ol>\n<li data-start=\"188\" data-end=\"267\">\n<h3 data-start=\"191\" data-end=\"267\"><strong data-start=\"191\" data-end=\"213\">Stop and Stay Calm<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Don\u2019t panic\u2014acting quickly is what matters most.<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"269\" data-end=\"419\">\n<h3 data-start=\"272\" data-end=\"419\"><strong data-start=\"272\" data-end=\"309\">Change Your Passwords Immediately<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Update any passwords you gave away\u2014starting with your <a href=\"https:\/\/iams-amc.montclair.edu\/page-intro\">NetID<\/a> and any accounts that use the same password.<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"421\" data-end=\"572\">\n<h3 data-start=\"424\" data-end=\"572\"><strong data-start=\"424\" data-end=\"466\">Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Turn on MFA (like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/security\/duo-mfa\/\">Duo<\/a>) on your important accounts to add an extra layer of protection.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"421\" data-end=\"572\">Duo can be used for your <strong>personal accounts<\/strong> too!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong><\/strong><strong>Save All Evidence<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>This information is important in cases where a police report is needed.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keep screenshots of texts and emails you receive from the incident.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do not delete<\/strong> any emails, voicemails, text messages, or other information related to the incident.<\/li>\n<li>Write down email addresses, phone numbers or links used in the scam.<\/li>\n<li>Note the date, time and what happened.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Please note<\/strong>: If you are unable to locate the email within your Montclair inbox our team has most likely removed it in a larger campaign affecting the campus community.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Report It<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Use the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/security\/pab\/\">Phish Alert Button (PAB)<\/a> to report the email. If you have any screenshots email them to <a href=\"mailto:phishfiles@montclair.edu\">phishfiles@montclair.edu<\/a>.<\/p><\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"711\" data-end=\"734\">Watch Your Accounts<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Check your email, bank, and other accounts for unusual activity. Set up alerts if possible.<\/p><\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"957\" data-end=\"999\">Alert Your Bank or Credit Card Company<\/strong> <em data-start=\"1000\" data-end=\"1017\">(if applicable)<\/em><\/h3>\n<p>If you gave financial info, contact your bank right away\u2014they can help prevent fraud.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Please note<\/strong>: If the scammer provides you with a fake check <strong>do not<\/strong> deposit it.<\/li>\n<li>Did you provide your <strong>Social Security Number (SSN)<\/strong> to a scammer? File a report with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.identitytheft.gov\/\">Federal Trade Commission<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>File a Report (UPD)<\/strong><br data-start=\"1017\" data-end=\"1020\" \/>Have you lost money? Are you being stalked? Contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/university-police\/contact-us\/\">Campus Police<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Additional Resources<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Stay up to date on all things phishing by visiting the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\/\">Phish Files<\/a>!<\/li>\n<li>Have more questions about Fraud? Please visit the Federal Trade Commission <a href=\"https:\/\/reportfraud.ftc.gov\/faq\">Report Fraud<\/a> page.<\/li>\n<li>Learn more at <a href=\"http:\/\/cyber.nj.gov\">cyber.nj.gov<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\"><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">What is PII &lpar;Personally Identifiable Information&rpar;<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\"><br \/>\n<a name=\"&quot;what-is-pii\"><\/a>\n<p data-start=\"226\" data-end=\"335\">PII is <strong data-start=\"233\" data-end=\"285\">any information that can be used to identify you<\/strong> \u2014 on its own or when combined with other details.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"337\" data-end=\"354\">Examples include:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"355\" data-end=\"571\">\n<li data-start=\"355\" data-end=\"368\">\n<p data-start=\"357\" data-end=\"368\">Full name<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"369\" data-end=\"402\">\n<p data-start=\"371\" data-end=\"402\">NetID<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"403\" data-end=\"435\">\n<p data-start=\"405\" data-end=\"435\">Home address or phone number<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"436\" data-end=\"453\">\n<p data-start=\"438\" data-end=\"453\">Date of birth<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"454\" data-end=\"480\">\n<p data-start=\"456\" data-end=\"480\">Social Security number<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"481\" data-end=\"549\">\n<p data-start=\"483\" data-end=\"549\">Campus email + any personal detail (e.g., major, class schedule)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"550\" data-end=\"571\">\n<p data-start=\"552\" data-end=\"571\">Login credentials (NetID, password, MFA codes)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"573\" data-end=\"751\">On campus, protecting PII is critical to avoid <strong data-start=\"620\" data-end=\"669\">identity theft, scams, and privacy violations<\/strong> \u2014 especially when using digital tools like email, cloud storage, or AI platforms.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"753\" data-end=\"887\"><strong data-start=\"753\" data-end=\"771\">Rule of thumb:<\/strong><br data-start=\"771\" data-end=\"774\" \/>If the info could help someone impersonate you or access your accounts \u2014 treat it as PII and handle it with care.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">How to Report Phishing&quest;<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\"><br \/>\n<a name=\"report-phishing\"><\/a>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ol>\n<li>Use the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/security\/pab\/\"> Phishing Alert Button (PAB)<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Forward the email or send screenshots to <a href=\"mailto:phishfiles@montclair.edu\">phishfiles@montclair.edu<\/a>.\n<ul>\n<li>If the scam you received was via text (smishing), please send screenshots of your text conversation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Types of Phishing<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p><a name=\"types-of-phish\"><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"129\" data-end=\"147\">Email Phishing<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The most common type\u2014fake emails that look like they\u2019re from your school, IT, or a trusted organization asking for login info or clicking suspicious links.<\/p><\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"311\" data-end=\"329\">Spear Phishing<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Targeted emails that use personal details (like your name, department, or supervisor) to make the message seem more legitimate.<\/p><\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"625\" data-end=\"638\">Job Scams<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Fake offers for internships, research assistant positions, or flexible work-from-home jobs, often asking you to buy gift cards or share banking info.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Remember<\/strong>: All job offers available at ÌÇÐÄvlog are available via<a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/career-services\/handshake\/\"> Handshake<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"796\" data-end=\"818\">Tech Support Scams<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Messages pretending to be from IT or Duo Support, claiming there\u2019s a problem with your account or MFA and prompting you to \u201cverify\u201d details.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ÌÇÐÄvlog <strong>will never request your username\/email, password or Duo codes.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"465\" data-end=\"490\">Credential Harvesting<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Phishing emails that link to <strong>fake login pages<\/strong> (like spoofing our portals or asking for credentials via a Google Form) designed to steal your username and password.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use the hover-over technique<\/strong> to check links\u2014if it looks suspicious, don\u2019t click it. Instead, type the official website address directly into your browser.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Never enter your login credentials or Duo codes<\/strong> into a Google or Microsoft Form.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"967\" data-end=\"994\">Smishing (SMS Phishing)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Text messages that appear urgent\u2014like \u201cYour account will be deactivated!\u201d\u2014with a link to click or a number to call.<\/p><\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong data-start=\"1118\" data-end=\"1146\">Vishing (Voice Phishing)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Phone calls pretending to be from campus services, banks, or even law enforcement, pressuring you to give up personal info or send money.<\/p><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Want to see some examples of phishing? Visit the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\">Phish Files<\/a> for some real phish we&#8217;ve caught!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Tips for Identifying a Phishing Attack<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p><a name=\"identify-a-phish\"><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"111\" data-end=\"272\">\n<h3 data-start=\"113\" data-end=\"272\"><strong data-start=\"113\" data-end=\"141\">Check the Sender Address<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Does the email come from an unexpected or strange-looking address? Does it seem odd that a random student NetID is emailing you a job? Report it.<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"274\" data-end=\"393\">\n<h3 data-start=\"276\" data-end=\"393\"><strong data-start=\"276\" data-end=\"318\">Look for Spelling and Grammar Mistakes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Phishing messages often have awkward phrasing, typos, or poor grammar.<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"395\" data-end=\"520\">\n<h3 data-start=\"397\" data-end=\"520\"><strong data-start=\"397\" data-end=\"441\">Watch for Urgent or Threatening Language<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Scammers try to pressure you\u2014\u201cAct now!\u201d or \u201cYour account will be deleted!\u201d<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"522\" data-end=\"677\">\n<h3 data-start=\"524\" data-end=\"677\"><strong data-start=\"524\" data-end=\"571\">Don\u2019t Trust Unexpected Attachments or Links<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Hover over links to see where they really go. Don\u2019t open attachments unless you\u2019re sure they\u2019re safe.<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"679\" data-end=\"799\">\n<h3 data-start=\"681\" data-end=\"799\"><strong data-start=\"681\" data-end=\"712\">Be Wary of Unusual Requests<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Asking for gift cards, Duo codes, passwords, or personal info is a major red flag.<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"801\" data-end=\"904\">\n<h3 data-start=\"803\" data-end=\"904\"><strong data-start=\"803\" data-end=\"824\">Generic Greetings<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>\u201cDear user\u201d or \u201cStudent\u201d instead of your name can be a sign it&#8217;s not legit.<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"906\" data-end=\"1050\">\n<h3 data-start=\"908\" data-end=\"1050\"><strong data-start=\"908\" data-end=\"929\">Fake Log-In Pages<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If a link takes you to a login screen, double-check the URL. When in doubt, go to the site by typing it in yourself.<\/p><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"906\" data-end=\"1050\">\n<h3><strong>Download<\/strong> our <a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/168\/2025\/06\/How-to-Spot-a-Phish.pdf\">How to Spot a Phish<\/a> guide!<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">SPAM vs&period; Phishing - The Big Debate&quest;<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p><a name=\"is-it-spam\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"49\" data-end=\"224\"><strong data-start=\"52\" data-end=\"60\">Spam<\/strong> = Annoying but mostly harmless. These are unwanted emails, often from marketers or shady senders, trying to sell you something (fake deals, miracle cures, etc.).<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"226\" data-end=\"412\"><strong data-start=\"229\" data-end=\"241\">Phishing<\/strong> = Dangerous and deceptive. These emails try to trick you into giving up personal info (passwords, credit card details) or clicking malicious links that install malware.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"414\" data-end=\"692\"><strong data-start=\"417\" data-end=\"448\">How to Tell the Difference:<\/strong><br data-start=\"448\" data-end=\"451\" \/>\u2705 <strong data-start=\"453\" data-end=\"461\">Spam<\/strong> \u2192 Usually just junk, like excessive ads or sketchy promotions.<br data-start=\"524\" data-end=\"527\" \/>\u26a0\ufe0f <strong data-start=\"530\" data-end=\"542\">Phishing<\/strong> \u2192 Pretends to be from a trusted source (your bank, school, or a service you use) and pressures you to take action (click, log in, or provide info).<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"694\" data-end=\"835\" data-is-last-node=\"\"><strong data-start=\"694\" data-end=\"710\">Bottom Line:<\/strong> Spam is annoying; phishing is a scam. If an email asks for sensitive info or seems too urgent, <strong data-start=\"806\" data-end=\"832\">don\u2019t click\u2014report it!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"694\" data-end=\"835\" data-is-last-node=\"\">Still unsure about the big debate? Check out the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/phish-files\">Phish Files<\/a> for recent active phish that have hit campus!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Phishing is a type of cyber scam where attackers try to trick you into giving away personal information\u2014like passwords, credit card numbers, or login credentials\u2014by pretending to be someone you trust, such as your bank, school, or a popular company. It often comes in the form of fake emails, texts, or websites. Did you hear [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":111,"featured_media":23151,"parent":448,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9941","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9941","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/111"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9941"}],"version-history":[{"count":101,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25664,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9941\/revisions\/25664"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/448"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/information-technology\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}