Reporting a Suspicious Email (Phishing)

Phishing emails are fraudulent messages designed to trick you into revealing personal information or clicking unsafe links. To help protect your account and our university community, please report any suspicious emails immediately by following the steps below.

How to Identify a Phishing Email

Before reporting, look for these red flags:

• Urgent or Threatening Language: Messages that insist on immediate action (e.g., “Your account will be terminated within hours”).
• Unexpected Requests: Emails asking for personal details or passwords.
• Suspicious Links or Attachments: Links that don’t match the sender’s domain, Google forms asking for account information, or unexpected attachments.
• Poor Grammar or Spelling: Multiple errors or awkward phrasing.
• Unusual Sender Address: Emails that appear to come from reputable sources (like Southeastern Oklahoma State University or Microsoft) but use unofficial email addresses or student addresses (@student.se.edu).

If an email displays any of these signs, do not click any links or download attachments.

Reporting Phishing Emails via Your Web Client

For Outlook on the Web (Office 365)

• Open the Suspicious Email: Log in to your Southeastern Oklahoma State University email account and open the email that seems suspicious.
• Access the Reporting Feature:
  • Using the Report Message Add-In: Look for the “Report Message” button in the toolbar at the top of the email.
    • If you see options like “Junk” or “Phishing”, click the one that best fits the situation.
  • If the Button Isn’t Visible: Click the ellipsis (⋯) or “More actions” button in the email toolbar and then select “Mark as phishing” (or a similar option).
• Confirm Your Action: A prompt may appear asking you to confirm the report. Confirm the action to send the email to our IT security team for review.
• Forward if Necessary: If you cannot use the built-in reporting tool, please forward the email as an attachment to: it@se.edu
  • Tip: To forward as an attachment in Outlook on the web, select the email, choose the “More actions” option, then select “Forward as attachment” (if available).
• Delete the Email: After reporting, delete the suspicious email from your inbox.

Additional Tips for Staying Safe

• Do Not Reply: Avoid replying to suspicious emails, as this can confirm your email address to potential attackers
• Double-Check Sender Details: If in doubt, verify the sender’s email address by comparing it to known official contacts
• Keep Your Security Software Updated: Regularly update your antivirus and run security scans

Need Help?

If you have any questions about a suspicious email or need further assistance, please contact the IT at: it@se.edu or call (580) 745-2408