In an e-mail sent to students today, Provost Geoff Feiss warned students about e-mails sent to College accounts seeking private information such as Social Security Number, PIN or passwords. The scam is known as “phishing.”
“I am sending this message because more than 15 individuals on our campus have replied to phishing messages,” Feiss said in the e-mail. “Recently, many of us have received email messages asking us to reply with our usernames and passwords. These phishing email messages look as if they are coming from IT at [the College.”
Feiss then stated in bold:
“Information Technology at [the College] will NEVER ask you to send your password to them in an e-mail message.”
Feiss said to contact IT if students have questions or concerns.
Below are the texts of two such “phishing” e-mail.
__This mail is to inform all our {wm.edu} webmail users that we will be upgrading our site in a couple of days from now. If you are a user of our site you are required send us your Email account details so as to enable us know if you are still making use of your mail box. Further be informed that we will be deleting all mail account that is not functioning so as to create more space for new user. so you are to send us your mail account details which are as follows:__
__Username:__
__Password:__
Here is the second:
__Dear WM.EDU Webmail Account Owner,__
__This message is from WM.EDU messaging center to all WM.EDU email account owners. On Wednesday, May 2nd, 2008, from 3:15 PM until 6:00 AM, all Mailhub systems will undergo regularly scheduled maintenance. Access to youre-mail via the Webmail client will be unavailable for some time during this maintenance window. We are currently upgrading our data base and e-mail account center – see homepage. We are deleting all WM.EDU email account to create more space for new accounts.__
__To complete your WM.EDU Webmail account, you must reply to this email immediately and enter your CORRECT PASSWORD here (*********) immediately for upgrading, Failure to do this will immediately render your Email address here(***************************)deactivated from our database. Once we have updated your account current records will be sent your Online Account and your service will not be interrupted and will continue working as normal.__
__Final Notification, Please Protect Your WM.EDU Webmail From Being Closed.__
__You can also confirm your email address by logging into your WM.EDU Webmail account at https://webmail.wm.edu/__
__Thank you for using WM.EDU!__
__Warning Code:VX2G99AAJ__
__Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.__
__THE WM.EDU Webmail TEAM”__