Phishing Emails; A guide to understanding

Phishing emails are an ever-present issue in these current times. It is important that you know what they are, how to spot them, and how to deal with them.

What is a Phishing email?

A Phishing email or Phishing attempt is an email sent by an outside source trying to obtain your Skidmore log in information. These emails usually have titles that make the email seem important. Within these emails there will be a link to another webpage that will ask you to either sign in or for some important information about your account.

How do I identify a Phishing email?

One way to check if the email is a phishing attempt is to check where the link is redirecting you to. If is not redirecting you to log in at skidmore.okta.com or skidmore.edu, it is not an official email.

The Second way is to open and view the message header. Instructions on how to do this and how to interpret the information can be found here: Outlook Headers

What do I do once I have identified a Phishing email?

Once you have identified the email as a phishing attempt you should report it. The images provided below illustrate how to do this when using either the web version or desktop version of outlook.

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

Uploaded Image (Thumbnail)

If you are unsure about the nature of an email you can forward the email to the department that would normally have sent it

If you have any further questions please email the It help desk at the above mentioned email or call at ext. 5900