There is always an increase in phishing email in the lead up to Christmas. The hackers know we’re busy and distracted, and will take every opportunity to exploit our natural human tendency to trust. We need to be both vigilant and sceptical.
Whether it’s an email inviting you to track a parcel delivery or an unexpected e-card, hackers use phishing emails to trick us into disclosing personal details by inviting us to click on links or open attachments.
Not sure if an email is genuine?
Don’t click on any links or open any attachments. Just clicking on a single link in a phishing email could have a catastrophic effect, causing your files, your School’s files, and College files to be damaged beyond repair.
Do read the content carefully. There are many clues which if you’re vigilant are easy to spot. See our fact sheet for guidance on how to spot a phishing scam.
Don’t rely on information provided in the email. If you think you need to act on an email, look for other ways to contact the sender directly. For example, if an email appears to come from Amazon and asks you to click on a link to update your account details, go the Amazon website instead and log into your account from there.
If in doubt, throw it out!
Still unsure? Just delete it.
Or contact the Service Desk for advice – servicedesk@abdn.ac.uk or https://myit.abdn.ac.uk.
And remember
The University, your bank, or any other reputable business will NEVER ask you to reveal, update or verify sensitive information – such as password, username, and account details – by email. If you receive an email that asks for this information, delete it.