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 This page is provided by the IT department as answers to some common questions.
For further technical information, call the IT Help Desk at extension 2489.
If you need training on using any LAVC system, contact the Staff Development office at extension 2712.
Go to "Report spam"
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At LAVC, the IT department is working hard to stop the most obvious spam. We stop thousands of spam emails every day but still many find their way to our mail boxes.
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Some malicious spams have pretended to be sent by the IT department to ask you to perform work on your computer. The IT department at LAVC would never do that.
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Learn to trust your instincts, if something feels like a scam, it probably is.
Spam
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Spam is bulk unsolicited communication.
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Spam is a growing problem not only at LAVC but to the whole computer community.
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The effects of spam range from annoying and disruptive to dangerous and devastating to the user and to the school network.
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Spam presents itself in many forms. The most typical spams are unsolicited faxes, emails and Web advertisements.
Types of spam
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Junk mail: Mass mailings from legitimate businesses that is unwanted.
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Non-commercial spam: Mass mailings of unsolicited messages without an apparent commercial motive including chain letters, urban legends and joke collections.
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Offensive and Pornographic spam: Mass mailings of “adult” advertisements or pornographic pictures.
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Spam scams: Mass mailings of fraudulent messages or those designed to con people out of personal information for the purpose of identity theft and other criminal acts.
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Virus spam: Mass mailings that contain viruses, Trojans, malicious scripts, etc.
Web ads
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Sometimes, when visiting some sites, the site will open a Window with advertisement or messages. Sometimes, the message will pretend to come from your system asking/tricking you into clicking on the window to automatically download and install programs into your computer.
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Web adds can be used to sell products or to hijack your browser. If your web browser gets hijacked, you will lose control of it.
What not to do
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Reply to the email: You will get more spam.
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Ask to be removed: You just told the spammer that somebody reads the email. You will get more spam.
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Go to a web site: Some Web sites will attempt to automatically install programs on your computer.
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Open attachments: Some attachments contain programs that try to automatically install themselves on your computer.
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Click on windows that open automatically: Some Web sites will attempt to automatically install programs on your computer. Just close the window.
What you can do
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You can use the anti-spam feature in your Microsoft Outlook (Windows, desktop version).
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Use your school email for only academic related communication.
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File a spam complain with the Federal Trade Commission.
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If you suspect that your computer has been compromised call the IT Help Desk at extension 2489.
Federal Trade Commission
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