Email Warning Banners: What They Mean and What To Do

Email Warning Banners

 

Summary

Jackson College now adds warning banners to the top of some incoming emails. These banners are added automatically by our email security system (Proofpoint) to help you spot phishing, scams, and impersonation attempts before you click a link, open an attachment, or reply.

A banner does not always mean an email is malicious. It reminds you to slow down and take a second look.

What's Changing

These new banners replace the old external email notice. Until now, emails from outside the college showed “[External Email]” at the top of the message and a yellow “CAUTION” box at the bottom, like this:

Example of the old external email notice: '[External Email]' at the top of the message and a yellow CAUTION box at the bottom

The old notice is being retired. Once the new banners are turned on, you will no longer see “[External Email]” or the CAUTION box on new emails. Instead, a banner will appear at the top of the message, where it is easier to see before you read or click anything.

Older emails you already received will still show the old notice. That is normal and nothing needs to be done.

Who This Applies To

All Jackson College faculty, staff, and students with a Jackson College email account.

Types of Banners

There are two colors of banners:

Banner Color Meaning What To Do
Yellow – Warning The message shows signs of being risky or fraudulent. Do not click links, open attachments, or reply until you verify the sender another way.
Gray – Information The message came from outside Jackson College or from someone you have not emailed before. Use normal caution. If you were expecting the message, you can continue as usual.

Yellow Warning Banners

All yellow banners have the title “Be Careful With This Message.” The text below the title explains why the message was flagged and what to do. Every warning also includes the JC Solution Center phone number (517-796-8639) so you can call with questions.

Banner Text What It Means
The sender's identity could not be verified and someone may be impersonating the sender. Do not click links, open attachments, or reply until you have confirmed the sender is legitimate. The email claims to be from a sender, but it failed authentication checks. It may be a spoofed (fake) sender address.
The sender's email domain has been active for a short period of time and could be unsafe. Do not click links, open attachments, or share information unless you recognize the sender and were expecting this message. The sender's domain was registered very recently. Scammers often create new domains for phishing.
This message may contain links to a fake website. Do not click any links or enter your password or personal information. The email contains a link using look-alike characters (for example, a Cyrillic “а” in place of an “a”) designed to imitate a real website.
The sender may be an impostor. Do not reply, click links, or act on any requests until you confirm with the person directly using contact information you already know. The sender's display name matches someone you may know (such as a college leader or coworker), but the email address does not.

Example: Impostor Warning

This email appears to be from the college President, but it was sent from a personal Gmail address and asks for gift cards. The yellow banner warns that the sender may be an impostor.

Example email with a yellow 'Be Careful With This Message' banner stating the sender may be an impostor

What to do: Do not reply or purchase anything. Contact the person directly using a phone number or email address you already know, or forward the message to the JC Solution Center.

Example: Unverified Sender Warning

This email claims to be from Microsoft, but the sender could not be verified. Password expiration messages are a common phishing tactic.

Example email with a yellow 'Be Careful With This Message' banner stating the sender's identity could not be verified

What to do: Do not click the link or enter your password. If you are concerned about your account, go directly to the Jackson College portal or contact the JC Solution Center.

Gray Information Banners

External Sender

This banner appears on emails that come from outside the Jackson College network, such as vendors, partners, or personal email accounts.

Example email with a gray 'This Message Is From an External Sender' banner

Untrusted Sender

This banner appears when you have not previously emailed back and forth with the sender. It is common for new contacts, such as new vendors, applicants, or community members.

Example email with a gray 'This Message Is From an Untrusted Sender' banner

What to do: If you were expecting the message and recognize the sender, you can continue as normal. If the message is unexpected or asks for something unusual, treat it with caution.

Tips for Staying Safe

  • Be cautious with any email that creates urgency, asks for passwords, payments, gift cards, or personal information.
  • Hover over links before clicking to check where they actually go.
  • If a message claims to be from someone you know but seems unusual, verify with them by phone, Teams, or in person. Do not reply to the suspicious email.
  • Jackson College IT will never ask for your password by email.
  • The absence of a banner does not guarantee an email is safe. Always use good judgment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why don't I see “[External Email]” anymore?
The old “[External Email]” and CAUTION notices have been retired and replaced by the new banners at the top of the message. The new banners give more detail about why a message may be risky.

Can I turn the banners off?
No. Banners are applied to all incoming mail as part of the college's email security protections.

A banner appeared on an email from someone I trust. Is something wrong?
Not necessarily. External and Untrusted Sender banners are informational and appear on many legitimate emails. If you receive a yellow warning on an email from someone you trust, verify with them directly before acting on it.

Will the banner appear when I reply or forward?
The banner is part of the original message. Consider removing it before forwarding the email to people outside the college.

I think a message is a phishing email. What should I do?
Do not click any links or open attachments. Call the JC Solution Center at 517-796-8639 for help.

Need Help?

If you have questions about a message or banner, call the JC Solution Center at 517-796-8639.

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