Businesses in county Armagh are being warned not to open an email Cyber Crime say is a phishing scam.
The email comes with the subject line ‘Invoice number 57685’.
But detectives from PSNI’s Cyber Crime Centre are advising local businesses to be on the alert to this scam.
Detective Constable Samuel Kinkaid said: “ This latest phishing scam is in the form of an email asking people for the payment of an outstanding invoice.
“The emails concerned are designed to appear as though they have come from a contact you may know and will contain a subject heading similar to ‘Invoice number 57685’.
“The email will contain a link to view the fake invoice which will in fact lead to a document designed to download malware.
“Designed to steal user credentials, it is believed the malware also harvests a victim’s email contact book before spreading itself to these addresses.
“I would advise business owners to take steps to protect themselves by making sure employees are aware of the following:
- Do not click or open unfamiliar links in emails or on websites.
- Check the legitimacy of any email received.
- Use two factor authentication for processing payments.
- Ensure you have up-to-date anti-virus software and perform regular scans, including scans for malware.
- If you have clicked or activated the link you should seek professional advice from a reputable company.”
Further advice on protecting your business can be found at www.getsafeonline.org and www.nidirect.gov.uk/scamwiseni
