Phishing refers to phone or email scams made by fraudulent parties, that attempt to trick you into divulging personal information such as

  • Usernames
  • Passwords
  • Credit card numbers
  • Bank account information. 

Phishing attacks can come in the form of a phone call or email message.  They claim and are made to look like they are from organizations with whom you have a legitimate business relationship.   

See Monthly examples by clicking here

How do I avoid phishing scams?

  • Be suspicious of ANY email that asks you to provide personal information by replying to the message or clicking a link.
  • Be suspicious if:
    • The sender is unknown (and be aware that the scammers can make the email to appear to be from a trusted source)
    • The email is not expected
    • Anything seems out of the ordinary, like format, grammar or reply-to address.
  • Remember that neither MSU nor any reputable company will EVER ask for a username or password vial email.
  • When in doubt, ask for help before you act.  Contact the UIT Service Desk at 406-994-1777 and ask them to take a look or contact the company who purportedly sent the message as you would normally to verify the message's content. 

I received a phishing email. Now what?

  • If you receive a phishing message, forward it to [email protected] and then delete it promptly.
  • If you believe that you have given away your private information to a phishing scam, immediately report it to the organization that appears to have sent the email.
  • If you think you might have responded to a phishing scam with your MSU username and password, immediately change your password and notify the UIT ServiceDesk at 994-1777.

More information

Visit Stay Safe Online's Spam and Phishing section for more information on how to stay safe online and protect your personal information.