Seminary Computing Services

Another example of an attempt to scam Earlham and seminary folks into giving away their passwords - our comments are in bold.

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Subject: UPGRADE YOUR E-MAIL ACCOUNT
From: "Earlham College" <support @earlham.edu>
Reply-To: upgrade_webmail @yahoo.com (First clue - why would Earlham Computing Services staff need to use a Yahoo.com email address?)

Attention,
This message is from Earlham College messaging center to all earlham.edu
email
account owners.

(Note the "double-whammy" below - you're hit with a string of technical jargon to try to confuse you, then threatened with loss of your email account)

We are currently performing maintenance on our Digital Webmail.
We are upgrading our Digital Webmail Security Server for better online
services. In this process some earlham.edu account will be deleted.

To prevent your account from closing in our database, you will have to
update it below so that we will know that it's a present used account.

(This is the key part - now that you're confused and scared, you're asked for a few simple bits of information. A question for reflection: if the goal is to see if yours is a "present used account", wouldn't you replying with just the word "Yes!" be enough to do that?)

**********************************
CONFIRM YOUR EMAIL IDENTITY BELOW
1)User Name:
2)Password:
3)Date:
4)First name/Last name:
**********************************
Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his or her account
after receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently.
We are sorry for the inconveniences
Warning Code:VX2G99ECS
Thank you for using Clemson ECS Webmail!
https://webmail.earlham.edu/squirrel/src/login.php
©2008 All Rights Reserved. Under License by Earlham College.

(These closing pieces are a nice touch, but what or who is "Clemson"?)