Unexpected Calendar Invites and Meeting/Class Messages

Fri, 27 Mar 2020 00:45:09 -0400
covid19, notice

As we have all begun to work and attend classes remotely, we are receiving more and more meeting messages and calendar invites. Almost all of these messages and calendar entries include links to Webex, Google Hangouts, or Blackboard Collaborate sessions.

Email messages can be easily faked and anyone can send a calendar invitation that could pop up on your google calendar. Neither email nor Google Calendar validate the identity of the sender of a message or invite. It is essential that we be on the lookout for hackers potentially sending fake messages for meetings/classes and calendar invites with links that could include malware.

Some signs to look out for include:

A meeting/class or calendar entry that you did not expect.

An invitation or meeting/class message from outside of UMBC.

A meeting/class on a service other than Webex, Google, or Blackboard Collaborate.

A meeting/class at a strange time.

An unusual list of guests for meetings/classes you typically attend.

Also, please be wary of messages with poor grammar, punctuation, spelling, or other telltale signs of phishing. See our FAQ Collection for more details on spotting spam and phishing. Phishing & Spam

As always, if a message or calendar invite looks suspicious, please contact the meeting host or professor directly to validate the meeting before clicking on the meeting link.

If you see a suspicious meeting/class related message or calendar entry, please notify security@umbc.edu immediately.