NEW ROCHELLE, NY (November 22, 2025) — The City School District of New Rochelle has warned its community about a recent increase in malicious internet activity, specifically phishing emails targeting school members.
The district’s technology department identified the uptick in attempts that often appear legitimate and sometimes originate from compromised internal accounts, aiming to steal personal information or install malware.
Community members are urged to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant to safeguard information, devices and the district’s network.
Key warning signs include a sense of urgency or threats, such as messages pressuring immediate action or warning that an account will be shut down unless information is provided.
Other signs are requests for personal sensitive information, like usernames and passwords, credit card numbers or banking information, which should never be given to non-verified sources.
Suspicious links or attachments should not be clicked or downloaded if unexpected, even if the sender’s name is recognized; users should hover over links to check the actual web address.
Unusual sender addresses that are similar but slightly different from legitimate ones, and requests for sensitive information like usernames, passwords, SSN or date of birth via email, are also red flags; the district’s IT department will never ask for such details by email.
Generic greetings like “Dear User” or “Dear Customer” instead of actual names signal potential scams.
Recent phishing campaigns include those titled “Subject: Job Opportunity,” which request students to click an “Apply Here” link directing to a credential harvesting site that compromises district accounts.
Another is “CSDNR PAYROLL,” which states, “We will need a voided check or a direct deposit form from your bank.”
If a suspicious email is received, recipients should not respond, click links or open attachments.
They should notify the IT department immediately by forwarding the email as an attachment to tech-help@nredlearn.org or calling the help desk at 914-576-4648.
The email should be marked as spam or phishing within the email system to help classify and block further attempts, then deleted from the inbox and deleted items folder.
If someone believes they have clicked a malicious link or entered credentials, they should change their password immediately and contact the IT department at tech-help@nredlearn.org or by calling 914-576-4648.
Additional measures include ensuring devices have up-to-date antivirus software and strong, unique passwords.
Enabling multi-factor authentication on personal accounts where available adds an extra layer of security.
The district emphasized that vigilance is crucial in maintaining a safe digital environment and will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
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