How to Contact Digital Strategies

From Edgar Fuentes, 11:59 AM:

Jennifer Myers created a tip sheet for contacting Digital Strategies. Feel free to share with your staff at the next staff meeting. In case you are unable to view it, I’m including the information below:

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Digital Strategies 
Hours & Contact Details

Hours 
Monday – Friday | 8am – 6pm
Saturday | 9am – 6pm
Sunday | 1pm – 5pm

Contact Details

• Call *31570 with specific information, including G #s when applicable. 
• E-mail the HelpDesk at HPL.HelpDesk@houstontx.gov with specific information, including G #s when applicable.
• Use the LogMeIn Rescue Calling Card available on staff computers.
• ServiceNow is not a preferred contact method as HITS is updating. Trainings are being developed for this program.

After Hours: If there is an after-hours emergency, please contact 713-742-3978. Emergencies include the loss of WorkFlows, the building server is down, or an issue that affects location operations.

Updating Your Direct Deposit

From COH Payroll Services, 9:30 AM:

UPDATING DIRECT DEPOSIT INSTRUCTIONS

Effective immediately and until further notice, employees will no longer be able to update direct deposit instructions via the online Employee Self Service (ESS) portal. Employees needing to update their direct deposit instructions must complete the Direct Deposit form available at http://www.houstontx.gov/ara/payrollforms/directdepositform.pdf and submit it along with a voided check for checking accounts or a preprinted deposit slip for savings accounts to the Payroll Services Division at the help window located at 611 Walker, 2nd floor. Questions or concerns can be addressed to the Payroll Services Help Desk at payroll@houstontx.gov or 832.393.8900.

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This may be the reason why:

From HITS, 4/29:

Information Security Alert: Phishing Scam Targeting Payroll Direct Deposits

What Is Being Done	Important Alert: Phishing Scam Targeting Payroll Direct Deposits
Impacted Service(s)	Payroll Direct Deposits
Impacted Departments/ User Groups	Potential impact to all City employees
Background	A relatively new email phishing scam targeting employee direct deposits is currently in circulation. Many of the attacks follow the same patterns, suggesting that the same threat actors are behind the attacks. The attacks begin with employees receiving spoofed email messages appearing to come from internally trusted sources (e.g., IT, HR, fellow employees). The spoofed messages make a request for the employee to click a link, access a website or answer a few questions, and, ultimately directs the employee to confirm their identity by providing login credentials leading to account compromise. The threat actors then use the compromised account to access payroll portals and reroute direct deposits to accounts they own and control.
Required Actions:	Remain vigilant and look for suspicious email messages; look for incorrect grammar, capitalization, etc. Verify the senders actual email address, rather than just looking at the displayed account name Roll your cursor over the links received via email and look for inconsistencies; if it’s not the website the email claims to be directing you to, then the link is pointing to a fraudulent site Do not provide credentials in response to any email request (including requests appearing to come from system administrators or the HITS Service Desk) Utilize unique, complex passwords for all accounts and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts (e.g., COH domain/email password should be different from SAP/ESS password) When in doubt, do not open, click or respond and contact the HITS Service Desk and report suspicious email messages Stop and Think before you Click to do your part to help keep COH data, information and systems safe!
Notification Plan	HITS will continue to provide updates as additional information becomes available.
Contact	For issues concerning this notification please contact: Phone: 832-393-9800 Portal:  help.houstontx.gov