George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
Phishing vs Spam? What’s the difference?
Phishing
Phishing emails can look like they’ve come from a trustworthy source, like a banking institution or even a work colleague; however, their purpose is to fraudulently obtain sensitive information like usernames, passwords and credit card information or to distribute malware (e.g., viruses, spyware, etc.) across our networks via infected files.
Phishers rely on you to do their dirty work for them and are a real threat to cyber security.
Spam
Spam is unsolicited email, often trying to sell you something or open a channel for future communication. These emails do not have any malicious attachments or links and are typically just text.
Good news. You can block spammers.
How to report phishing & Spam Emails
You can report phishing and suspected phishing messages and spam directly in Outlook.
Email cybersecurity@georgebrown.ca with questions.
How do I spot a phishing email?
Do you think you can spot a malicious email? When in doubt, do not click on anything. If you know the sender, you may want to call them to verify the message.
Criminals often leave clues. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help spot potential threats.
Sender (the 'from' field)
Do I recognize the sender’s name? Have I received work-related messages from this person in the past?
Does the email use a correct and official company or organization’s address? If a message seems reputable, check to make sure there isn’t a mismatched email domain. For example, you received a message from a reputable company, but it’s sent from an @hotmail.com address.
Subject
Does the subject line match the content, or is it irrelevant, unexpected, or unusual?
Date and time
Was the email sent at an odd time (e.g., 4 a.m. or during non-business hours)?
Body text
- Is the message threatening you?
- Is the message offering prizes or something too good to be true?
- Does the request seem odd, illogical or just plain suspicious?
- Is someone asking for passwords, account information, or credit card details?
- Is the salutation generic (e.g. Dear Customer, Client, etc.)?
- Does the message have spelling errors or bad grammar?
Attachments and links
Does this sender normally send me messages with links or attachments?
If you are ever directed to a website with a ‘sign in page’, try to verify if it is a real website address. Sometimes criminals create real-looking web pages that look to steal your login or financial information.
I interacted with a phishing email. What do I do next?
If you have clicked on a link, opened an attachment within a potential phishing email, or responded with your login credentials or other information, contact the GBP Help Desk right away at 416-415-5000 ext. 4357.