11:03 a.m., Sept. 11, 2008----Information Technologies (IT) at UD advises campus computer users that an e-mail phishing scam is being circulated, with this subject line: "Confirm Your Udel Account."

The e-mail message begins, "To complete your Udel Webmail account, you must reply to this email immediately and enter your password here (*********)," and it purports to have been sent by "The Udel Webmail Account Team." It also warns recipients that "Failure to do this will immediately render your email address deactivated from our database."

IT-User Services advises recipients not to reply or provide any information and to delete the bogus e-mail.

The IT-Help Center Web site at [www.udel.edu/help] includes the following statement: “UD will NEVER ask for information online to keep your account active.”

Phishing is a term used by hackers who imitate legitimate companies and organizations in e-mails to entice users to share passwords, Social Security numbers, credit card or bank account numbers.

IT-User Services provides more detailed information on how to avoid being taken in by those phishing for confidential information at [www.udel.edu/security/phishing.html].

The Federal Trade Commission warns that victims of phishing can become victims of identity theft and offers tips on how to avoid it at [www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/index.html].

To keep abreast of computer security news and alerts, subscribe to the XML feed of one or more of the computer security e-newsletters listed on UD's “Security News and Alerts” Web page at [www.udel.edu/security/secnews.html].