In 2023, IU delivered 1.3 billion emails and blocked more than 569 million spam emails. These spam emails can range from simple messages to ones that contain malware or try to convince you to give up your credentials to access your information or finances.
Most malicious emails are blocked through filters, which block malicious messages based on keywords or are sent from suspicious or compromised accounts or accounts associated with widespread spam campaigns. However, these filters don’t stop every malicious message because spammers and scammers work constantly to update their messages to avoid detection. So here are some quick tips for you to avoid getting phished.
What to do if you receive spam: report it
If you see a suspicious email in your IU account, you can report it by selecting the Report Message icon in Microsoft Outlook under the Home ribbon. This lets both IU and Microsoft know that the email may be malicious, so that they can take action to prevent it from reaching others. Additionally, you can forward the message to phishing@iu.edu.
Once you’ve reported the message, delete it. Using the Report Message tool in Outlook will often automatically delete the message.
Phishing emails often use intense language to trick readers into acting quickly before they can think about the message. For example, emails that say your account will be deleted if you don’t act quickly or say something is “urgent” and urge to click a link, are most likely scams.
What to do if you click on a phish
It’s important to use your best judgment if you have fallen for a phishing scam. Disengage as quickly as possible and recognize what kind of information a malicious actor may have accessed is critical to knowing what to do next. If they have your banking information, call your bank as soon as possible. If you have downloaded unknown software onto your machine, consider what kind of information is on there and report the incident to it-incident@iu.edu.
This can happen to anyone and it’s important to recognize that falling for a scam is not a failure on your part. IU has plenty of resources on the phishing.iu.edu page you can take advantage of, including workshops, online courses, and even cybersecurity escape rooms.