Counter Fraud Team Alert

We have recently received information from three schools in Kent after they were contacted via a spear phishing email.

The emails sent to the school’s office email accounts were “spoofed” to look as though they had come from the Headteacher. They typically start with an informal approach such as asking, “Are you at your desk?” If staff respond positively, then the following emails usually seek help with an urgent CHAPS or Faster Payment.

We are advising all schools to be extra vigilant. The warning signs of these emails include poor formatting and grammar, no signature line and the emails appear as if they were sent from a smart phone.

If you receive this type of email do not arrange for any payments until you have spoken to the Headteacher. Please contact the Headteacher by phone or in person to confirm the payment request is genuine. Do not use email to verify the request.

We advise schools to make all members of staff aware.

To learn more about how to prevent fraud and what to do if you are subject to a fraud, come and talk to us on stand 125 on 7 November 2018 at the EduKent Expo.

Contact Details

If your school receives an email of this kind please report to:

Duncan Warmingon
Email: Duncan.Warmington@kent.gov.uk
Telephone: 03000 41 60 95

or

Shelley Etherton 
Email: Shelley.Etherton@kent.gov.uk
Telephone: 03000 41 60 68