What is Phishing?

Phishing is the use of deception to acquire passwords, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information from a user. Email is the most common phishing medium.

Phishers typically pose as a trusted entity, such as a system administrator or service provider, in order to scam their victims. Often, these messages will ask for the user to communicate in some other means; for example, a message may request that a victim sends an SMS message to a specific number or replies using a personal email address. These messages will also imply some sense of urgency for the request, thus leading an unsuspecting victim to react quickly without first asking themselves whether or not the message is legitimate.

If you have any questions about an email you've received, please contact the DoIT Security Department at security@umbc.edu.