Burnham-On-Sea’s community centre has issued a warning after around 100 scam emails were sent out over the past week impersonating the centre in an attempt to obtain money from local residents.
The phishing messages appeared to come from the centre’s official email address but were sent without its knowledge.
The emails falsely claimed to be raising money for a cancer sufferer and urged recipients to send funds. It’s feared a person may have already transferred money.
The community centre says an IT specialist has investigated and confirmed that its email system remains secure and was not compromised.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: “These types of scams are created to seek money and it’s important not to fall for them. Do not pay, do not respond, and report the email immediately.”
Residents can forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk. Anyone who has already lost money or shared financial details should contact their bank as soon as possible and report the incident to Action Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Police figures show that more than 32 million suspicious emails have been reported to Action Fraud since May 2024, leading to the removal of over 329,000 malicious websites.
“This type of scam can be distressing,” the spokesperson added. “We want to reassure residents that they are not alone and that support is available.”
