Dear Club Officers and Delegates, During the pandemic, there has been an increase in phishing attempts across every industry. Once again, we are reminding you that it is very common for Clubs to receive “phishing” and “spear phishing” attacks. Just today, we were notified of a fake email to clubs requesting a membership annual update and asking for information. The subject line reads “License Update.”
Spear phishing attempts are customized emails that target a specific individual (often executives) and can be made to appear to come from another specific individual. They usually convey a sense of urgency and are requesting a specific action to be done. For example, the email may appear to come from the Club President to the Treasurer requesting a wire transfer to a 3rd party.
If you receive any emails of this nature, you should immediately confirm the authenticity of the email with the person from whom the email appears to be sent. Do not do this by replying to the email, as it may go right back to the phisher and can subject you to the possibility of further cyber-attacks. Instead, call the person directly who allegedly sent the email. If you are unable to reach them, wait until you do, prior to transferring any money or completing any action (i.e. clicking links in the email). Sophisticated hackers access the calendars of their targets and will often send the attack email when they know the person that they are impersonating is traveling or otherwise difficult to reach.
It is very important to know the warning signs of a fraudulent email. These emails may not only ask for funds, but they may provide links or attachments that install malware or coerce the recipient into providing their login information. If you receive any suspicious email, we recommend you a) do not click any links in the email; and b) do not reply to the email. Delete it immediately and advise your fellow officers in a separate email. This document highlights social engineering “red flags” that you may find helpful. Feel free to distribute to other club officers and members as you see fit.
Also, please note that AKC is unable to monitor and cannot control phishing emails sent to any Clubs by a third-party actor. This is true even when such emails appear to come from an AKC employee. In such instances, the individual mailbox owner is the primary line of defense and must remain ever vigilant.
Dennis B. Sprung
American Kennel Club, 101 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10178
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Wednesday, February 10, 2021
Phishing Emails
