Spoofed Messages & Phishing

phishingmail

Spoofed messages  are a kind of spam designed to look like they originated from a person or organization you could be familiar with. A spoof could also be a message that looks like it was meant for someone else but was sent to you by accident, or a returned e-mail that appears to have originated with you but contains a message you didn’t send.

Many spoofed messages are harmless. However, a message designed to get you to provide personal information, or download software that will steal that information from you — a tactic often referred to as “phishing” — is a particularly dangerous kind of e-mail spoof because cyber criminals can use your sensitive information to steal your identity, your personal information, or your financial assets

*NOTE: If you are unsure whether an e-mail is real or if you receive an e-mail message that is abusive or harassing in nature, forward the e-mail to abuse@bu.edu