Cybersecurity scams that appear to have come from the City and County of Denver are on the rise.
The scams appeared this past weekend and included a text message that appeared to have come from the City and County of Denver. The text message included the city’s logo, and the subject centered around an unpaid parking invoice. In a press release published on Sunday, the City and County of Denver confirmed it did not send the text and wanted to use this incident as an opportunity to educate the community of cybersecurity scams.
Here are some tips from the City and County of Denver to help protect yourself from cybersecurity scams:
- Be cautious of suspicious emails, texts, and calls – especially ones that express a sense of urgency or pressure.
- Make sure to check the sender’s email address and all URLs to ensure that the communication is coming from the city: denvergov.org.
- Never click on links or open attachments from unknown senders. If you are unsure if the sender is from the city, call 311.
- Be cautious of unsolicited offers, donations, or requests for personal information.
- Use strong, unique passwords for all online accounts.
- Be mindful of what information you share online.
- Report suspected scams to the appropriate authorities.
“Governments are a frequent target for bad actors, and we are tracking other municipalities that are also seeing similar phishing attacks,” said Merlin Namuth, Denver’s Chief Information Security Officer, in a release. “As a city, we are always vigilant to these types of attacks.”
Last June, a report from City Auditor Tim O’Brien said Denver lacks a comprehensive program to assess potentially disastrous cybersecurity risks. O’Brien said the city’s approach to cybersecurity risks is “informal,” especially with independent city agencies or cultural facilities, like the Denver Art Museum and Denver Zoo.
If you are a victim of cybercrime, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management encourages you to file a report with the local police department so that there is an official record of the incident.
If you suspect you’ve encountered a cyber predator, restart your computer in safe mode and perform a full system scan to detect and remove any malicious software. You should also notify your banks and credit reporting agencies to report potential fraud and take proactive steps to safeguard your financial accounts. Additionally, close any accounts that may have been compromised to prevent further unauthorized access. Acting quickly can help protect your personal information and limit the damage.
In 2023, the FBI’s internet Crime Complaint Center received a record 880,418 complaints from the American public, according to data from the FBI. Common reported cybercrimes included phishing scams, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and personal data breaches.
