[OPLINLIST] Third week of compromised email

[Stephen Hedges]

Seems like about once a year (maybe even more often) we have to repeat a simple message to OPLIN email users:

DO NOT GIVE YOUR EMAIL PASSWORD TO ANYONE ON THE INTERNET.
NEVER.
EVER.

But people still do, and then their account is taken over by spammers and used to spam the Internet, and then our email server gets blacklisted and everyone's email gets blocked. Sometimes the "hook" to get your password is buried in the email as a link to a separate webpage that will request your password, but the rule still applies:

DO NOT GIVE YOUR EMAIL PASSWORD TO ANYONE ON THE INTERNET.
NEVER.
EVER.

OPLIN email users have been giving away their passwords for three weeks now. STOP IT. At least 15 individuals have been victimized by the most recent phishing attempt and lost access to their accounts, and caused daily blockages to OPLIN email; don't be the 16th.

When you give away your email password, it not only affects your account, it affects everyone else, too. When it comes to passwords, forget what you learned in kindergarten: Sharing is Bad!
(And if you have unfortunately already shared your password on the Internet, change your password immediately!)

So let me repeat:

DO NOT GIVE YOUR EMAIL PASSWORD TO ANYONE ON THE INTERNET.
NEVER.
EVER.

Just to be sure you understand, here's a little test:

Find your email "Reply" button. Find your email "Delete" button.
When you get an email asking for your password, which button are you going to use?

(Please, please, please pass this test!)

Stephen
--
Stephen Hedges, Director
Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
2323 W. Fifth Ave., Suite 130, Columbus, OH 43204
614-728-5250  ::  hedgesst at oplin.org