Phishing Scams

Government entities, just like individuals, may be targets of "phishing" scams. In a phishing scam, an entity is sent an e-mail that may ask the recipient to “update”, “verify” or “confirm” financial account information. Often the e-mail claims to be sent from an organization that works with the government entity.

If you receive an e-mail asking for your government entity’s financial information, do not reply and do not click on any links in the message. If the message appears to be from an organization you know, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that you contact the organization by using a telephone number that you know to be genuine or by opening a new Internet browser session and typing in the company’s correct Web address.

Additional tips to help you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam are available from the FTC.

Date this Avoiding Pitfall was most recently published: 09/08/2023