There have been several reports of scam emails on the Council's network today. The police team have been informed of these instances, but it's possible that similar messages have also been sent within the community, so we urge you to please double-check any emails you receive.
Darren White, Sergeant at St Mary's Police Station says: "We have been made aware of a number of fraudulent emails in circulation at the moment, so we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the things to look out for when someone sends you an email asking you to take action. Please consider the following: does the sender's email address appear to be from an official source or a private email account? Is the content of the email worded in the way you would expect? Are there frequent spelling or grammatical errors, or odd turns of phrase? Are you being asked to send personal or financial information? If you have any suspicions as a result of asking these questions, or you simply have a hunch that something isn't quite right, please do not hesitate to contact us for further advice."
You can find further information about fraud on the Action Fraud website. This page outlines some of the main things to be aware of and details how to report a suspicious email.
If you remain unsure, or are concerned you may have accidentally engaged with a fraudster, please do not hesitate to contact 101 and speak to the police about your concerns.