Please be aware that spam email may periodically end up in your mailbox. These types of messages may try to disguise themselves as authentic emails, by spoofing “From” addresses from people we know or known companies. They will ask you to send them personal information because something might be wrong with your account, such as exceeded storage or insufficient information. Some messages might also ask you to help various causes by donating money or sending banking information. 

It is important that you DO NOT respond to the request in the email as they are spam. In addition, for any suspicious email messages, DO NOT click on any of the links, attachments, or respond with any type of personal information. Delete the email message.

[Video]  SANS Security Awareness: Email and Phishing - Length 3:55 minutes

[PDF]  How to Recognize and Avoid a Phishing Scam - 4 pages

What do I do if I have accidentally responded to a spam message?

If you accidentally responded to a suspicious email or feel that your account is hacked, you should contact the GCC Helpdesk immediately. The Helpdesk can provide suggestions for users who have fallen victim to spam email messages or compromised accounts. For example, we will recommend that you reset your password. 

Again, if you are ever unsure about whether an email is authentic, please contact the GCC Helpdesk at helpdesk@glendale.edu.

Useful Links

[Link]  Is your password secure? Get a quick estimate of how secure your password is and how long it would take attackers to guess.

[Link]  VirusTotal - Use this site to analyze suspicious files and URLs.

[Link]  Have i been pwned?  Check if you have an account that has been compromised in a data breach.

[Link] LastPass Free Password Manager - The average American has around 130 accounts registered with their primary email. Each of these accounts requires a password, however, good security practices require that you never reuse the same password for different accounts. A password manager is a program that keeps all of your passwords in a secure vault that is locked by a master password.