Student Phishing Alert
Ongoing phishing emails targeting student accounts: what families should know
The HDSB is continuing to monitor a phishing campaign targeting student email accounts, primarily at the Grade 7–12 level. We shared an earlier notice with families in July, and because these attempts have continued, we want to make sure families have current information and a few simple things to talk through with their child.
What's Happening
Students have been receiving scam emails offering a job, usually described as easy, remote and well-paid, that ask them to reply, click a link or complete a form with personal or banking information. These emails did not come from the HDSB, and the jobs are not real. These are external scam attempts designed to obtain personal or financial information.
The HDSB's internal systems have not been breached. This is an external phishing attempt reaching student inboxes, and we are actively working to remove these messages and strengthen protections on student accounts.
What We're Asking of Families
A short conversation at home can help students recognize and avoid these types of scams. Most students have not engaged with these emails, and the more your child understands the pattern, the safer they'll be now and well beyond this particular scam. A few points worth sharing:
- No real employer recruits by emailing students out of the blue, and none asks for banking details, a Social Insurance Number or passwords up front, especially not through a Google Form.
- "Urgent" is a warning sign. Scammers create pressure so people act before they think.
- When in doubt, don't reply or click - just delete. Neither the HDSB nor your child's school will ever ask for sensitive personal information through an unexpected email or form.
If your child received one of these emails
No further action is required if your child received one of these emails but didn't click, reply or fill anything out. They can simply delete it.
If your child clicked a link or completed a form, especially if they shared any banking or personal information, as a precaution we recommend that you:
- Watch for unexpected emails, texts, or calls asking for more personal information or urging quick action
- Be especially cautious of anyone claiming to be from your bank, the school, or another trusted organization
- Monitor your bank account for unusual activity if financial information was shared
- Report any suspicious messages, particularly ones referencing the information your child submitted, to secops@hdsb.ca
If your child shared banking or other sensitive information
If your child shared banking information, credit card details or a Social Insurance Number, we recommend you also:
- Contact your financial institution right away so they can monitor or protect the affected account
- Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or antifraudcentre.ca
- Contact the Halton Regional Police Service at 905-825-4777 to file a report if money has been taken, if you believe your child's identity has been used or if you are asked to provide a report reference number by your bank or the Anti-Fraud Centre
Encourage your child to speak up
We understand that phishing attempts can be unsettling, and we want students to feel comfortable speaking up if they receive or respond to one of these emails. These scams are deliberately designed to fool people. The most helpful thing any student can do is tell a trusted adult and let us know at secops@hdsb.ca so we can help quickly.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to secops@hdsb.ca .
Thank you for helping us keep our students’ information safe.
