Brock University email users should be aware of a fake email bearing the subject line Payroll Calender.

To users, the message, which has multiple grammar and spelling errors, appears to be from Brock University, and even has a Brock email address.

It informs “your new payroll schedule … is now available for approval,” gives a link to use, and ends with “approval will be permanent within the next 48hours.”

Anyone clicking on the link goes to a page asking them to log in with their Brock ID and password.

ITS has blocked the link, preventing login by any Brock network users as long as they are on campus. However, this step cannot prevent people off-campus from logging in to the bogus page.

A number of people who clicked on the fake link, revealing their username and password, must now change their passwords immediately.

This incident is typical of daily fraud attempts targeting thousands of institutions across Canada and around the world.

All members of the Brock community are urged to constantly use caution before opening unfamiliar or unexpected email, especially ones containing links or attachments. If anything seems at all suspicious, do not click — talk to a supervisor or forward the email to itsecurity@brocku.ca and wait until you receive a reply.