Library Home: News Literacy: Evaluating Sources

Check For:

Relevant Content. Look for multiple sources and ranges of data.

Authoritative: Source that has hands-on first-person experience, and has a reputation to risk.

Not clickbait: Not littered with advertisements and glurge.
Check for reviews of source to check for red flags like "Hoax", "Scam", "Predatory", "Retraction"

Current date

Contact Us with working forms / email

About Us info explaining their reason for existence (bias).

You can tell a lot about publisher bias from lists of members, sponsors, or advertisers.
Follow the money! Ask yourself who benefit$ from the call-to-action.

Phishing danger in any communication. Fishing for your passwords and private information.

Be extra wary of spear-phish that look like they came from your boss, instructor, friend or family. Contact person to check with them before opening documents. Text that does not match the hover-over revealed URL are common in phishing. URLs that look almost like a legitimate URL are tricky. Government

How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams | Consumer Advice

If you got a phishing email, forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org .
If you got a phishing text message, forward it to SPAM (7726).
Report the phishing attempt to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

Pause. Think before you click. SIFT information https://library.fvtc.edu/SIFT

These fraudulent activities aim to deceive you into revealing sensitive information or downloading malicious content.

What to Watch For:

Suspicious Links: Be cautious of unexpected links or attachments in Teams messages, especially from unknown or unusual senders.
Impersonation: Cybercriminals may pose as colleagues, IT staff, or even leadership, using profile pictures and names to appear legitimate.
Urgency or Threats: Messages demanding immediate action, such as “Your account will be disabled” or “Approve this payment now,” are common red flags.

How to Protect Yourself:

Verify the Sender: If a message seems off, confirm its authenticity by contacting the sender through a known and trusted channel.
Hover Before Clicking: Always hover over links to check the URL before clicking. Legitimate links will typically match official Microsoft domains or your organization’s secure domains.
Report Suspicious Activity: Use the “Report Phishing” feature in Teams or notify the IT Help Desk immediately if you suspect an attack.