Important Security Alert: Beware of Recent Phishing Email Attempts

Dear AEA community:

It has been reported that some AEA community members have received phishing email messages impersonating AEA staff members with an “invitation” and potentially trying to deceive recipients into disclosing personal or sensitive information.

Here’s what you need to do to protect yourself and our organization:

1. Do Not Respond: Do not reply to or engage with the sender of these suspicious messages. AEA will never ask for your passwords or sensitive personal information via email or text message.
   
2. Do Not Click on Links: Avoid clicking on any links or downloading attachments from unknown or suspicious sources. These could lead to malicious websites designed to steal your information.
   
3. If You’ve Been Affected: If you are affected by this phishing attempt, please change your password to your email account immediately.
   
4. Report Immediately:  On your email provider, please report and block these messages. Here is more detailed information.
   
5. Stay Informed: Familiarize yourself with the signs of phishing attempts. They often appear to come from a known staff member but an unknown contact number/address, and they often include spelling errors, generic greetings (e.g., “Dear User”), and urgent requests for action. Here is more detailed information.
6. Use Company Resources: Always use our official communication channels for sharing sensitive information, and when in doubt, verify the authenticity of the message by contacting our IT department directly (support@aeacs.org).

Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter and for your ongoing commitment to our organization’s security. Please remember that these bad actors will use creative methods and it is important to remain vigilant at all times. Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact our IT team at support@aeacs.org.