Arlington Public Schools is warning families to beware of fraudulent emails that use the school system’s branding to collect people’s personal information.
The emails ask recipients to click a link and provide usernames, passwords and other information, APS said in a message to families yesterday (Thursday). They are not real APS communications, but they use the APS logo and may appear to come from the school system.
“APS will never ask families to share passwords or sensitive account information through email,” the school system wrote.
APS encourages families to abide by the following safety tips.
- Do not click links or open attachments in unexpected emails.
- Check the sender’s email address carefully, as phishing messages often use addresses that look similar to official APS accounts.
- Never share your login credentials through email or on unfamiliar websites.
- If something seems suspicious, delete the message or contact your school directly to confirm.
One phishing email shared by APS claimed that a recipient’s email account was “unverified” and warned that account access would be “limited” if the recipient didn’t respond within 24 hours.
People who clicked a link and provided their information should contact the APS Information Services Help Desk at 703-228-8000 for help with resetting their password.
