The Government has warned the public to be wary of “phishing” e-mails from fraudsters posing as government departments.

A government spokeswoman said: “These e-mails are false phishing emails and should not be opened under any circumstances.

“If individuals are concerned about whether an e-mail may be fraudulent, they should contact the Bermuda Police Service.”

Phishing is a process used by online fraudsters to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers.

The Government urged the public to be wary of unexpected e-mails, particularly those that ask for personal information or make urgent requests.

“Verify the legitimacy of the sender by checking the e-mail address carefully,” the spokeswoman said. “Hover over links in e-mails to see the actual URL before clicking.

“Ensure that it matches the expected website address. Be wary of shortened URLs, as they may lead to malicious sites.”

The spokeswoman also urged the public to enable multifactor authentication when possible to increase security and regularly update operating systems, antivirus software and web browsers.

“Stay informed about common phishing techniques and tactics. Awareness is a key defence against falling for scams,” the spokeswoman continued.

“Enable and regularly update spam filters on your e-mail account to help identify and filter out phishing attempts. Avoid clicking on pop-ups, especially those that ask for personal information. Legitimate organisations typically do not request sensitive data through pop-ups.

“Before providing any personal or financial information, verify the request through a trusted and official communication channel. Use reputable security software on your computer and mobile devices to protect against malware and other threats.”

• For more information on phishing emails and scams, visit https://www.gov.bm/how-avoid-and-report-scams.