Boston College is seeing an increase in highly convincing phishing emails that mimic legitimate conversations by including fabricated email threads at the bottom of the message.
Scammers fabricate realistic-looking back-and-forth chains to trick you into thinking you are being looped into an ongoing, trusted discussion. Remember: Email history is incredibly easy to fake. A detailed message thread below a new email does not prove it is safe.
What to look out for:
- The Ghost Conversation: You receive an email "continuing" a discussion or project that you have absolutely no memory of starting.
- The Mismatched Sender: A sender's actual email address that doesn't match the names listed in the text of the history below.
- The Sudden Pivot: The email quickly shifts from a casual conversation to an urgent request for sensitive data, wire transfers, or external login credentials.
- Links Hidden in the "Old" Emails: A major trick is placing the malicious link or attachment down inside the fake history text rather than the new message, making it look like a document that has already been vetted and approved.
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How to Report Suspicious Emails
- If you receive an email that looks suspicious—whether it is asking for your credentials, offering an unexpected job opportunity, or creating a false sense of urgency—please forward it immediately to phishing@bc.edu.
- When you forward messages to phishing@bc.edu, you will receive an AI-generated reply letting you know if the email was malicious or safe. Please keep in mind, AI is an experimental tool, and you may occasionally receive an incorrect assessment. If you suspect you received an incorrect assessment, please forward the assessment to security@bc.edu for further review. A member of the IT Security team will follow-up with you.
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What if you have already interacted with a scam?
If you think you replied to a phishing scams with sensitive information, contact the IT Security team atÌýsecurity@bc.edu and they will provide you with next steps for protecting your account.