Phishing Net

Phishing Scams and Schemes Unveiled

Phishing Alert: Fake “Google Account Verification” Emails Targeting VCU Accounts with Malicious Google Form Link (8/3/2026)

by Tomas Balciulis

We are currently seeing a wave of phishing emails sent from compromised VCU accounts. These messages claim your account will be suspended or deleted unless you “verify” it through a Google Form link. This is a scam — do not click the link or enter any information.

What the email looks like:

Dear User,

We are unable to process incoming emails to your school account because your Google account verification has failed. If this issue is not resolved within the next few hours, your account may be permanently deleted from our system.

Please take immediate action to verify your account to avoid any disruption.

Additionally, alumni and former students are also required to complete the verification process using the link provided.

To avoid losing access, please verify your account immediately by clicking the link: [MALICIOUS LINK]. Failure to do so may result in permanent loss of access to your account.

If the link is not working, copy and paste the URL below into the address bar of your web browser to cancel the request: [MALICIOUS LINK]

Note: On the form, there’s a field labeled “ACP.” This actually means your email password — the one you use to log in to your email account.

Please answer all your questions. If you do not have an answer to a particular question, write ‘Nil’.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

How to spot it:

  • Urgent, threatening language about account deletion or lost access
  • A generic greeting (“Dear User”) instead of your name
  • A request to fill out a Google Form with personal account details
  • Any field asking for your password — VCU and Google will never ask for your password through a form
  • Coming from a real (but compromised) VCU email address, which can make it look more legitimate than a typical phishing attempt

What to do:

  • Do not click the link. If you already did, do not enter any information.
  • Do not enter your password, ACP, or any account credentials into the form, no matter how the field is labeled.
  • If you already submitted information, change your password immediately and contact us right away.
  • Report suspicious emails by forwarding them to [email protected].
  • Questions or concerns? Reach out to [email protected].

If you receive this email from someone you know, assume their account has been compromised — do not reply to it and report it to us