Warning issued over ‘phishing email’ claiming to be from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service

A warning has been issued after reports of a scam email claiming to be from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS).

The ‘phishing email’ was flagged by a potential new recruit to the service after they had received a message purporting to have come from NWFRS Headquarters.

Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals send an email that appears to be from a legitimate organisation and ask you to provide sensitive information. This is usually done by including a link that will appear to take you to the organisation’s website to fill in your information – but the website is a fake and the information you provide goes straight to the crooks behind the scam.

The email in question has the subject line of ‘Data required’ and originates from an email address of ‘dpo@nwlaes_fireservice.org.uk’ (note the spelling of the email address, i.e. ‘nwlaes’ rather than ‘nwales’). The main body of the text contains a number of spelling mistakes but attempts to add legitimacy to the request by giving the correct postal address of the Data Protection Officer.

NWFRS have confirmed that the email has not originated from within the organisation.

The information requested is:

“Have you been convinced/charger with illegal illicit drugs use?”

“Have you been convinced /charged with the use of a vehicle under the use of alcohol.

(Note the spelling mistakes in both questions and lack of a question mark at the end of the second question).

If you receive such an email under no circumstances should you reply to it or click on any links it contains. It is recommended that you block the sender’s address and delete the email immediately. You may also wish to consider reporting the email to ActionFraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, via their web site here.