Services and Resources for Students

Welcome to a new semester!

As you prepare to settle into the routine of classes, be proactive and vigilant to the increasing number of phishing scams and online threats. College students are becoming the target of cybercriminals because of the number of emails sent to you regarding your classes, financial aid, tuition, your student work, and other businesses of the college you attend.

Taking the time to be a little more vigilant will protect your personal information and your college account.

Stop • Think • Verify
Never share your password. Never share your MFA code. Never approve an unexpected login request.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a deceptive scam used by a criminal to entice you into clicking a link to a scam website, opening an infected attachment, approving a malicious request to log in, or giving away your personal information like your username and password and your Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) code.

Phishing emails can appear to come from legitimate sources, including your college, Microsoft 365, your financial institutions, shipping companies, and even close personal contacts.

Typical phishing scams that are common to students

• Alert of a fake financial aid
• Fake tuition refund request
• Disabling student account or email
• Fake employment or work-from-home opportunities
• Fake scholarship offers
• Requests to send gift cards or cash
• Delay notifications of package delivery containing phishing links
• Unexpected Microsoft 365 log in requests

Phishing Scam Warning Signs

Think carefully before clicking on any email and consider the following questions:

• Was the email expected?
• Is the sender’s email address authentic?
• Is there an attempt to create a sense of urgency or instill fear?
• Does the email request that I click on a link, download an attachment, or verify my identity?
• Are there spelling and grammatical errors in the message?
• Is there anything about the email that seems strange or too good to be true?

Do your part in protecting your account by doing the following:

• Never give out your password to anybody, including a person who says they work for your college’s IT department or Microsoft.
• Never respond to an MFA request that was unexpected or provide your MFA authentication code to anybody. College IT staff will never request your MFA code nor your approval for a login attempt which you did not make.
• In case you get an unexpected MFA request, deny the request immediately because this may mean that someone has your password and is trying to access your account.
• Do not click on any links or open attachments coming from unknown emails and messages.
• Ensure your computer, phone, and applications have the latest security updates installed.
• Use strong passwords for all your online accounts.

If You Think You've Been Phished

If you clicked a suspicious link, entered your college credentials into an unfamiliar website, approved an unexpected MFA request, or shared your MFA code:

• Change your password immediately.
• Contact your college's IT Help Desk as soon as possible.
• Report the suspicious email.

We're All Part of Keeping Our College Secure

Cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility. Taking a few extra seconds to verify an email before clicking a link or approving an MFA request can help protect your personal information and keep our college community safe.

Included below are the names, numbers and email addresses for key services that you may need to contact during the semester.  We remain available via email and phone to respond to your concerns and assist you with problems that may arise.

IT, Canvas and SIS Support

Registration for Classes

As you plan your schedule, please contact your program advisor or visit the Navigate Site in MYCAMP to communicate with your program advisor for assistance with registration.  Your advisor can assist you via email or make an appointment with you for a phone call or video chat.  Our goal is to help you to stay on track for completion of your program, certificate or degree.  If you have not been assigned to an advisor to date, please contact the Admissions Office for assistance.

Students can now access Office 365 for free! With Microsoft Office for Students.

Respondus Lockdown Browser

To download the Respondus Lockdown Browser you will need to go to the download link, which is available on: https://resources.vccs.edu/

The Student Emergency Fund has been created through generous gifts to the PDCCC Foundation and Virginia Foundation for Community College Education (VFCCE) as well as state contribution from the State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV). Funds are available to provide financial assistance for out-of-pocket expenses to Camp students involved in a catastrophic or and emergency event or situation. Situations or events described must involve circumstances which are sudden, unexpected and which affect a student’s ability to function as a student (e.g. transportation, housing, food, books, technology, family or medical expenses).

Paul D. Camp Community College provides support for many services used by Camp students, ranging from distance/online learning and computer labs to mobile apps, student email and class syllabi and grades. As a student, it is important to understand and abide by the Information Technology Student Acceptable Use Agreement. If you have questions about the agreement, call 757.569.6762.

Copyright Laws
Downloading or distributing copyrighted materials (documents, movies, music, etc.) without the permission of the rightful owner is considered copyright infringement and is illegal under federal copyright law. Students are responsible for adhering to all copyright laws. Penalties for copyright infringement can be found under the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. §§ 501-518 and in the U.S. Copyright Office’s summary of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Wireless Access on Campus
High speed WiFi internet access is available at all Camp facilities (Franklin and Hobbs Suffolk Campuses, Camp Regional Workforce Development Center, and Camp Center at Smithfield).

Helpful Tips to Protect Yourself from an Email Scam:

If you received one of these emails, follow these steps immediately:

1. Do not respond or engage with the sender.
2. Do not provide any personal information (such as your name, address, Social Security number, or banking/credit card details).
3. Stop all further contact if you've already initiated a conversation with the scammer.
4. Inform others if you forwarded the email to anyone, by sharing this warning with them.
5. If you’ve responded to the scam and provided personal details, contact your college's helpdesk immediately for assistance in protecting your identity.

Scam and phishing emails can be tricky to spot, but here are some key tips to help you make safer decisions when interacting with your inbox:

1. Verify the sender: Check if the sender’s email address is legitimate. Look for small inconsistencies like misspellings or unfamiliar domains. College personnel will only officially communicate through the official college email systems.
2. Look out for urgent language: Scammers often try to rush you into making quick decisions by using phrases like "act immediately" or "urgent job opportunity."
3. Be cautious of unexpected job offers: If you did not apply for a position or internship, it’s highly likely the offer is fake.
4. Do not click on links or download attachments from suspicious or unsolicited emails. These can contain malware or lead you to phishing sites.
5. When in doubt, ask: If you’re uncertain about an email's legitimacy, contact Camp IT Support. Never reply to the email with personal details.

   David Felton	Franklin	757-569-6718	dfelton@pdc.edu
   James Jenkins	Suffolk	757-925-6318	jjenkins@pdc.edu
   Kelly Klass	Suffolk	757-925-6320	kklass@pdc.edu

Reminder: Protect Your Information. No one at Camp Community College or the VCCS will ever ask for your personal information, such as passwords, Social Security numbers, or financial details, through email or text.