Police advised members of the public today to be ever vigilant regarding phone calls, emails and other correspondence from unknown persons attempting to obtain personal information or other sensitive data.

A police spokesperson said: “Once again the Bermuda Police Service would like to remind members of the public to remain vigilant regarding phone calls, e-mails and other correspondence from unknown persons that attempt to obtain personal information or other sensitive data.

“The practice, commonly referred to as ‘phishing’, involves deceptive messages designed to look and sound official.

“One resident recently reported being contacted by a man claiming to be the Director of the FBI, who requested that she send him money for alleged services.

“The same resident also received a deliberately misleading email, where the con artist claimed to be the Vice President of the United States.”

The email appears as:

From: Mike R. Pence <courrierdhl96@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, Mar 11, 2019 6:52 am
Subject: I am Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States
Dear Sir/Madam.

I am Mike Pence, Vice President of the United States and this is to
inform you about your Bank Check Draft brought back by the United
Embassy from the government of Benin Republic in the white house
Washington DC as your compensation fund been mandated to be deliver to
your home address, To avoid wrong delivery of your check draft worth
Ten Million United States Dollars [$10,000,000.00] Kindly reconfirm to
me the below details.

  1. Your Full Name:
  2. Your Residential Address:
  3. Your Mobile Cell Number:

Contact E-mail:[vicepresident02@yahoo.com] – call on this number [859] 823-8901 or you text my secretary.

Best Regards
Mike R Pence
Vice President United States

As noted, the police “strongly recommended that such phone calls and emails be ignored”. Additionally, residents are “reminded that personal information regarding banking details, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers and computer access are valuable and that this information should never be relayed over the internet or phone to unknown persons.

“In addition, residents are reminded that personal information regarding banking details, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers and computer access are valuable and that this information should never be relayed over the internet or phone to unknown persons.

“Any incidents of suspected internet fraud should be reported to the Financial Crime Unit on telephone number 247-1757 or via the e-mail address fraud2@bps.bm.

“Advice on how to avoid and report scams can also be found at https://www.gov.bm/how-avoid-and-report-scams.”