Spam is unwanted email, often advertising or other solicitation. Phishing is a deceptive message intended to steal information, money, gain account access, or to persuade you to open harmful content.
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Spam is unexpected or unwanted email, commonly advertising, newsletters, or other solicitation. Spam is not automatically harmless, so avoid interacting with unexpected links or attachments.
For ordinary spam in Gmail, use the Report spam button. Reporting a message as spam moves it to the Spam folder, helps Gmail identify similar messages, and can contribute to alerts for IT when users report an unusual volume of spam.
If a message appears deceptive, asks for sensitive information, creates unusual urgency, or contains a suspicious link or attachment, treat it as phishing instead of ordinary spam.
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Like spam, phishing is unwanted, but there's intent to compromise your information, account, or device. Phishing may be presented with a sense of urgency to perform an action to avoid an unwanted outcome, like an account deletion. It may ask for passwords, sensitive information, or present a suspicious sign-in page.
To assist IT investigating threats, please only report phishing and not spam using the phishing reporting methods described below.
For all users without the Adaptive Phish Alert Button, you'll find the Google "Report Phishing" button located in the "More" (3 dot) menu next to an email message.
Clicking this button removes the email from your Inbox, helps train Google, may assist in stopping an active phishing campaign, and alerts Baker IT.
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For staff and faculty who have the Adaptive Phish Alert Button, it is the preferred method for reporting messages that appear suspicious. This button is similar to Google's, but additionally provides immediate feedback if the email you are reporting is part of a training campaign. Also, it routes reported messages to enhanced tools for IT to investigate and remediate real phishing attempts on our organization.
Please, still use the Google Spam button for messages you deem are solicitations, but not malicious.
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If you think a message is odd, but possibly legitimate: do not reply, click links, open attachments, or use contact information from the message while you are verifying it. Reach out to the sender via another trusted form of communication before interacting. Some examples: call or text a known number, use instant messaging, or visit the sender in-person.
If you are still unsure of the type of message you are working with. Submit a ticket at services.baker.edu. Please do not forward the message to other users.
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As of the writing of this article, there is a Report Spam button in Gmail while using a mobile browser, Android, and iOS apps.
If you switch Desktop Mode "On" in your mobile browser, you should see the Adaptive Phish Alert button and/or Google Report Phishing button, just as you would on a computer.
In regards to apps, Adaptive users must be using the official Gmail app on their device to see the Phish Alert Button.
For all other situations, we do still have the option to forward the message to abuse@baker.edu. That method doesn't give the benefit of training Google automatically, but it does still alert Baker IT.
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If you have already clicked a link, opened a suspicious attachment, entered credentials on a questionable sign-in page, or approved an unexpected MFA prompt:
- Immediately change your password.
- If available, use the account option to sign out of all devices.
- Contact IT. We are here to help!
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Logo Key:
Adaptive PAB
Google Report Spam button
Google Report Phishing button
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Phishing (Malicious) |
Spam (Unwanted/Solicitation) |
| Users with the Adaptive PAB |
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| Using Gmail on a computer |
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| Using Gmail mobile app |
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| Using a mobile browser |
Turn on Desktop mode, use |
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| Everyone else |
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| Using Gmail on a computer |
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| Using Gmail mobile app |
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| Using a mobile browser |
Turn on Desktop mode, use |
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| All users (fallback option) |
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| Using any other email app (Apple Mail, Samsung Mail, Thunderbird, etc.) |
Forward to: abuse@baker.edu |
Use the Spam button of your app or move message to Spam folder |
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