Beware of Phishing Email and Job Scam!

July 23, 2024 / Our Nighthawks

Please be aware of a phishing email scam currently circulating to NOVA students, faculty and staff. The email may look legitimate because it appears to be sent from a VCCS email address. THIS IS A SCAM! See a screenshot of the email below. We’ve also shared some tips from the website KnowBe4.com to help you identify phony emails and scams.

How can I stay safe?
Follow the tips below to protect yourself from email scams:

  • When you receive an unexpected email, stop and consider the context. For example, if the email is about an order you didn’t place, it could be a scam.
  • Never click a link in an email that you aren’t expecting. Instead, open your internet browser and navigate to the organization’s official website.
  • Watch out for urgent messages, such as an email alerting you to a high credit card charge (or a pressing need for a certain position). Phishing attacks rely on impulsive actions, so ALWAYS think before you click.

How do I spot a fake page?
As a first line of defense, always navigate to your account’s login page by typing the web address in your browser or using a bookmark that you’ve saved — rather than clicking through links in an email. Also, the following tips can help you identify fake webpages:

  • Pay attention to the address bar. To be on the safe side, make sure the website starts with https:// before entering any personal information.
  • Check the domain name. Make sure the website you are visiting is spelled correctly and not mimicking a well-known brand or company.
  • Watch for poor grammar and spelling. An excess of spelling, punctuation, capitalization and grammar mistakes can indicate that the website was put together fairly quickly with no regard for professionalism.
  • Look for reliable contact information. If you can find another way to contact the brand or company, reach out to them to confirm the email is real.
  • Walk away from deals that are too good to be true. Some retailers will discount older merchandise, but if the latest item is also heavily discounted, walk away. It’s probably too good to be true!

Additionally, students can log into their Career Connection account to complete the How to Identify Fraudulent Employers Pathway, which can be found under the Resources tab > Pathways.

If you see something, say something! If students receive an email such as the example given below or any type of suspicious email or job offer, they should not respond or click on any links! This is a scam and should be reported to NOVA Career Services at novacareerservices@nvcc.edu or the NOVA Police Department at 703-764-5000.

Please help us spread the word in making our community safe and aware of this scam.

Screenshot of a phishing email from Employment at email dot vccs dot edu. Text of the email reads as follows: Dear Students, Faculty, and Virginia's Community Colleges There is a pressing need for student assistants at Virginia's Community Colleges. This position is available to students from any department of the institution, and consideration will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Personal Assistant slash Bookkeeper Salary 550 dollars weekly Free medicals (After 1 month with us Copy and paste the URL below into the address bar of your web browser (PHISHING URL) Or send a copy of your resume to (andrerobert854 at gmail dot com) using your alternative email

Submitted by:
Latoya Garrison Ford, Career Connection Coordinator, LGarrison@nvcc.edu