Increase in Phishing Attempts

Phishing is a fraudulent practice that involves emails or text messages that appear to come from a legitimate source to trick people into giving away money or sensitive information or giving a scammer remote access to their device.

Faculty, staff and students can be targeted and should look out for such things as:

• Personal assistant job scams
• Gift card scams
• Links to webpages that look like login screens, but aren't PUSD’s
• Go straight to the source: Phishing emails often include links that lead to fake login pages.
• Use bookmarks: Bookmark trusted websites to avoid using a fraudulent login page.
• Links to forms or that ask for your password or other personal information

Remember PUSD & ITS will never ask for your password by phone or email. If you believe someone has stolen your password or there has been unauthorized access to your PUSD account, report it to Help Desk immediately.

• Urgency and Fear: Scammers use language that creates a sense of urgency and fear, such as threats of account suspension or data loss if users don't take immediate action.
• Fake Emails and Websites: The emails are designed to look like legitimate communications, often mimicking a company's branding (Apple, Google, etc.) and tone. They often include links to fake websites that appear to be authentic login pages.
• Requests for Information: Scammers may ask users to update payment information, provide an ID or password, or disable security features like two-factor authentication.
• False Claims: They may claim that your iCloud storage is full, that your payment method is outdated, or that your account has been suspended.

• Be Suspicious of Urgency: If an email or message uses urgent language or threats, be cautious.
• Don't Share Personal Information: Never enter any ID, password, or other personal information on a website you're not sure is legitimate.
• Verify Information: If you're unsure about an email or message, contact Help Desk directly through an official support channel (phone or ticket).
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication: This adds an extra layer of security to your account. For more information on setting up two-factor authentication on your PUSD account, please contact the Help Desk.
• Report Suspicious Activity: If you receive a suspicious email or message, forward it to helpdesk@pusd.us

• Storage Full: "Your iCloud storage is nearly full. Upgrade to keep your photos, videos, and important files safe".
• Payment Failure: "Payment Failure for iCloud Storage Renewal".
• Account Suspended: "iCloud Suspended. Fix it before [date]".
• Payment Method Outdated: "Your payment method is out of date and needs to be updated".
• Fill out this survey for a Pay Raise
• Opportunities to earn money via an internship
• an email validation exercise

• District personnel will never ask for your account passwords and you should never share this information with anyone else.
• Always check the email address or phone number associated with the sender
• Mind any warnings coming from the mail system
• When in doubt, check with the person who supposedly sent the email or text before you send personal information, money etc.

By being aware of scams and taking precautions, you can protect yourself from falling victim to them.