Checking your FCPS emails

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a bit shocked that so many people fell for it and then, rather than being properly embarrassed, started posting all over social media about how tired and under appreciated they are and how dare IT expect them to think before they click on the last day of school.

This is how hackers social engineer their way into systems, folks. They don’t take breaks. In fact, this is exactly something they would do. The gift card scam is one of the most common ones out there.

And IT departments are the ones that routinely have to deal with the problems caused by giving away your credentials to criminals, often over long weekends, when employees who fell for the scams are enjoying their BBQs and time off.

I know you teachers are overloaded, but please. This is my kid’s private data on the line. You have a responsibility as a user of a publicly funded email system to at least try to be diligent. No one is perfect but this is why IT are so targeted with these attempts. The criminals get better every single day and people don’t learn anything when it’s too easy.

You sound like such an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I'm surprised by how bothered other teachers get by these things. I saw it, laughed, deleted. I do my best to not fit the stereotype of the whining teacher.

Same. I saw it. The email address or something else didn’t seem right, so I reported as phish and moved on.

I did the same but understand why people are overall done and beyond bothered. Teachers aren't whining they are saying enough. No one is listening especially gatehouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a bit shocked that so many people fell for it and then, rather than being properly embarrassed, started posting all over social media about how tired and under appreciated they are and how dare IT expect them to think before they click on the last day of school

I don't know anyone who fell for it. I certainly didn't. However, it did highlight the fact that my efforts are underappreciated, and I should immediately report and delete emails from fcps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a teacher, I'm surprised by how bothered other teachers get by these things. I saw it, laughed, deleted. I do my best to not fit the stereotype of the whining teacher.

Same. I saw it. The email address or something else didn’t seem right, so I reported as phish and moved on.

I did the same but understand why people are overall done and beyond bothered. Teachers aren't whining they are saying enough. No one is listening especially gatehouse.

+1, send any other day of the year, fine; but to send it on the last day of school was tacky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was tacky and not a good look for fcps. It got Washington Post coverage:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/06/17/fairfax-schools-phishing-email-teacher-appreciation/

It’s blocked for those of us who don’t have an account.

Did FCPS IT send a fake email testing to see which teachers would click a link? I’m a teacher in another district. If that was it, I find it hard to believe anyone took an email from a superintendent with a gift card link seriously. The bizarre thing is if this was purposefully created by their own people. I don’t really understand this situation.

From the article:
"The district’s IT department periodically sends out fake phishing emails to test teachers and staff as a cybersecurity measure. It’s a common practice for companies to avoid staff falling prey to phishing, a type of online scam where bad actors send emails posing as a real organization to trick recipients into clicking a link or attachment.

Staff on the receiving end of a test email are expected to flag the email as a phishing attempt. Those who flag the email will receive a response for correctly identifying the scam, and those who follow the link are redirected to additional cybersecurity information to avoid attacks in the future.

Some teachers in Fairfax found the contents of the email to be a bit insensitive. David Walrod, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, said the choice of language on the last day of school — when teachers are already tired — was not a good look."

Yes we are “tested” periodically on spam emails. I once got an email from them about a training and marked it spam and then got notification that it wasn’t fake and the IT was requiring a training for teachers. No thanks.

But, back to this. I saw it and knew it was fake and didn’t think much of it. I was confused what Reid’s apology was for before I made the connection. The IT department must really hate teachers!

[Anonymous]

My company sends phishing emails all the time. I’ve gotten “invites” to holiday parties in December (which I fell for thinking they were a subcontractors invite). My job requires me to attend events like this.

Perhaps it was a little insensitive in the timing, but this is common practice in Govt/private sector. You get “caught” once or twice and you learn to be cautious going forward - check the email address the email comes from is usually the give away.

[Anonymous]

Anyone see all the "Religious or Cultural Observances" emails today?

[Anonymous]

Ha. Good one, FCPS.

[Anonymous]

I never open the FCPS email because I know it’s all bullshit from morons.

[Anonymous]

Omg, I thought it was an actual phishing attempt. That is so tacky/hilarious. I wonder if the genius who thought this up is getting promoted or fired.

[Anonymous]

How come so many teachers fell for this?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How come so many teachers fell for this?!

There really didn't seem to be very many who fell for it; most reported it as phishing. The upset isn't because they fell for it. The upset is that their employer sent an insensitive fake phishing training email.