Linden Community Schools has become aware of a phishing email being sent to members of our community that impersonates a staff member's name and email identity. In this instance, an email was sent after 9 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, from Russ Ciesielski rciesiel@lindenschools.org

DO NOT OPEN OR CLICK ON THE LINK - DELETE IT!

What happened: An email was sent posing as a staff member, using a subject line like "Professional Reference Request." The message asks the recipient to click a link to "schedule" a meeting, which then prompts them to download an unfamiliar app. This is NOT a legitimate communication from Linden Schools.

What we're doing: Our IT team is actively investigating this incident and has taken steps to secure our systems. We are working to identify the source, block the sender, and prevent further attempts. We take the security of our community's information seriously and will continue to monitor the situation closely.

What you can do to protect yourself:

Don't click links in unexpected emails, especially ones asking you to download software or an app to "schedule" something.
Messages sent to "undisclosed recipients" or with hidden BCC lists are a common phishing pattern. Legitimate staff emails are typically addressed directly to you.
Be suspicious of vague, flattering requests. Scammers often use a general "you were recommended" framing to lower your guard.
Verify the sender independently. If an email claims to be from a staff member, call the school directly using a number from our official website, not one provided in the email.
Never download software from a link in an unsolicited email.

Linden Community Schools

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