Online Phishing Attempt Identified and Blocked

Huntington UFSD was recently made aware of a phishing scam involving a fraudulent Google Docs link that was sent to a student. An outside individual created a document advertising a “part-time job opportunity.” Once the link was opened, the recipient was prompted to accept money and then return it, which is a common tactic used in financial phishing schemes.

“Upon learning of this, our Technology Department acted immediately,” Deputy Superintendent Christopher J. Hender said. “We quickly identified where the link originated, blocked it across all district firewalls, and removed access to the document. The Suffolk County Police Department was also notified. At no time was any district data on students, personal information, or accounts compromised.”

As an added precaution, any student or staff member who received the link, but did not open it, was issued a password reset. We want to reassure our community that no financial or personal information was taken from any device.

“We are sharing this information to keep our families informed and aware,” Mr. Hender said. “As always, we encourage you to speak with your children about safe online behavior, and our schools will continue to reinforce best practices for identifying and avoiding phishing scams.”

Mr. Hender said that a few reminders include:• Avoid clicking links from unknown or unexpected senders.• Do not provide personal, financial, or login information in response to unsolicited messages.• Check email addresses and document owners carefully before opening attachments or links.• If something feels suspicious, report it to a parent, teacher, or our Technology Department before taking action.