Phishing - What to watch out for in emails and beyond.

You are contacted unexpectedly and do not know how the sender received your information.

The offer contains a vague job description.

The email includes a few simple job requirements for significant monetary compensation.

The sender asks for your email address, phone number, and address information.

The sender provides a different reply-to address or contact method than the one they sent from. 

The sender’s email says they are a CUA professor, but they are not using an @cua.edu address.

An unknown user has invited you to click a link to download a document, enter information, or transfer money via banking or a common money transfer application.

Make sure to check out all the details of the mail carefully. Ensure that it comes from someone you trust and that the sender’s email address is legitimate.

Always go directly to a website of a known charitable organization by searching for them or typing in their known website in your internet browser URL bar.

Use your mouse to hover over links and see if the link that shows up in the bottom of your screen or that pops out over the text matches the name of the link.

If someone is claiming to be from the IT Department, check the email address to see if the user is from an @cua.edu address or call 202-319-4357 to have a technician validate the email if you are not sure.

A supposed employer asking you to send money back to them via a money transfer application or bank transfer after you have deposited a check they emailed or mailed to you.

Emails that ask for donations in the aftermath of natural disasters. 

An unknown user or someone pretending to be someone you know has invited you to click a link to download a document, enter information, or transfer money via banking or a common money transfer application.

Make sure to check out all the details of the mail carefully. Ensure that it comes from someone you trust, and the sender’s email address is legitimate.

Always go directly to the website of a known charitable organization.

Use your mouse to hover over links and see if the link that shows up in the bottom of your screen matches the name of the link.

Ask them questions to verify their identity and the legitimacy of their request.

Text messages coming in as urgent calls to action or threats (Claiming to be from the IRS, FBI, White House, Police, etc). 

An unknown, first-time, or unusual sender.

Poor spelling and grammar,  awkwardly worded statements, generic greetings (consider computer-generated responses).

Suspicious links or attachments that seem out of place.

Any actions involving GIFT CARDS, CHECKS, CASH PAYOUTS, CASH Apps, etc. 

The sender claims to be a professor but uses a non-CUA.edu sender email address and/or a non-CUA.edu email address in the body of the email.

The sender claims to be from an external organization but uses an email address that does not match the organization's domain (.COM,.EDU,.ORG, etc.).

The sender's email address does not match the name provided.

The sender moves the conversation away from their original email address or begins contacting you on your alternate email address.

The sender asks to be contacted via text message or phone.