Warning as names of councillors used for ‘spear phishing’ email scam

If you have an email from a local councillor it is worth double checking if the communication is genuine after local names were used for a scam.

A scam that has surfaced elsewhere in Wales has now been seen locally, with the names of genuine councillors being exploited to gain the trust of those who are the target of scammers.

In late August Constable Gareth Jordan from the Cyber Crime Unit at Dyfed Powys Police HQ, Carmarthen contacted local councillors in that area saying: “We have been having a number of calls stating councillors are emailing constituents asking for Gift Cards to be purchased.”

“This is a scam, but some people are likely to believe it.”

The email is usually from a fake but possibly believable address, and the ‘spear phishing’ element of the scam targets a specific individual or organisation with some believable communication rather than general emails to hundreds or thousands of people.

One example of the type of message has been provided below, where gift cards or similar are requested from the recipient :

Below is an email highlighted today, with the incorrect email address for Wrexham Councillor Malcolm King – but with a personal targeted message to a fellow councillor.

The recipient of the above email, Cllr Carrie Harper from Queensway ward said: “No county Councillor will ask you for itunes vouchers, or Amazon vouchers or similar.

“These scams are going around via both email and text. Please always check the ‘from’ address in any suspicious email and query anything you’re not sure about with the council by ringing 01978 292000.”

The Action Fraud site has more details on how to avoid phishing and spear phishing style scams.