Matthew Vassar has sent you a file (Google Docs)

viewgoogledoc20150919

Why this looks valid

  • The “from” field contains the name of a known Vassar user.
  • Vassar uses Google Drive frequently to view documents.
  • The body of the email looks exactly like a valid Google Drive invitation.

Why this is phishing

  • The URL, or link, contained in the message is not Google.
  • The link opens to a site with multiple providers, including Adobe and Google.
  • When viewing this message in Google and clicking on a valid Google Drive share, you would never have to choose Google from a menu or input your login name and password again.

Additional notes

  • If you know the person who appeared to have sent the message, call them and ask if they sent it.  It only takes a few minutes to verify if it is legitimate.
  • Report it as phishing to Google.  Before deleting the message, make sure to click on “report phishing”.
  • A little paranoia goes a long way!  Be suspicious of any email messages similar to this one.