|
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What's the Buzz on Spam, "Phishing" and your SSU Email Account
Have you ever received an email from a bank - that wasn't your bank, asking you to log in? Or maybe it was your bank but they were threatening to close your account if you do not log in through the included link? That is a tactic called "Phishing" - a scam involving the use of fraudulent e-mail to lure others into providing confidential information.
Here is some advice to keep your personal information safe:
… NEVER respond to a spam or phishing email. Responding just confirms that your email address is valid and you will find yourself getting more spam than ever.
… NEVER click on any links in emails that look suspicious. The safest way to access your bank's web site is to open a new web browser and type in the URL yourself (i.e. <http://www.wamu.com>www.wamu.com or <http://www.exchangebank.com>www.exchangebank.com).
… Optional: If you would like to report an email scam, forward the email to the Federal Trade Commission at <mailto:spam@uce.gov>spam@uce.gov
What Can I Do About It?
The very best thing to do is ignore it. You can also adjust your Spam Assassin settings to intercept Spam and move it to a folder called GrayMail.
1. The first step is to activate GrayMail filtering for your account.
a. |
Open a web browser and go to <https://ldaps.sonoma.edu/email/gmoptinout.html>https://ldaps.sonoma.edu/email/gmoptinout.html |
b. |
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and enter your email username and password. |
c. |
Select the "Turn On Graymail filtering" radio button and click the "Do It" button at the bottom. |
2. The next step is to adjust your settings to an optimal level - ensuring that most Spam is filtered out of your inbox. Here is how to increase your Spam Assassin settings:
| a. | Open a web browser and go to <https://webmail.sonoma.edu/sa/>https://webmail.sonoma.edu/sa/ |
| b. | Log in with your email username and password. |
| c. | Scroll down to "Required Hits" under General Settings. The default value is 5. The closer to 1, the more aggressive the settings. Set this to 3 to see if that helps. |
3. Finally, monitor your GrayMail folder. If legitimate emails are in your GrayMail folder, use the "White List" feature in Spam Assassin to prevent those emails from being marked as Spam. Conversely, if the same email address (that you know to be spam) is continually making it to your inbox, use the "Blacklist" feature of Spam Assassin to ensure that it is correctly marked as spam next time.
slk, 7/8/05