The email is a scam to gain access to your LAUSD email account. This is called "phishing" and it is a common type
of Internet fraud. ITD is blocking these emails and web sites as it
becomes aware of them using our email and web filters.
These phishing emails will claim to come from a legitimate source like your employer, bank or credit card company and may ask you to verify your account numbers and/or passwords in order to prevent a threatened closing of your account or some other inconvenience. They may also ask you to click a link in the email that will take you to a website that looks like a legitimate site, or to call a toll free number that will seem legitimate but is not. If you receive one of these emails, you can be sure it did not come from ITD; ITD will never ask you for your password.
To protect yourself against phishing attempts:
- Never email personal information like usernames and passwords, or a bank
or credit card account number. Legitimate companies will never ask you to
provide such information over email.
- Never provide this information after you have followed a link in an email.
If you use online banking, log in using the website you always use.
- Don't use the phone number listed in email you suspect to be a phishing
attempt. The phone number is most likely controlled by the people running
the phishing scam. Verify phone numbers by checking the number on your bank
statements.
- If you think you have given out your personal information to a phishing scam,
immediately notify ITD. You may need to contract your bank or credit card
company using the contact information on your monthly statements.
Review your
financial records for unauthorized charges.
- Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software programs and update them regularly.
For more information on protecting your personal information, and general online safety, see http://onguardonline.gov/.
Sincerely,
Ronald Chandler
Chief Information Officer
LAUSD