Assurance given over data after email scam

The Shetland Times is offering assurances that all data provided for its directory is secure after a new scam emerged.

Emails are being sent which purport to seek information for the “Shetland Directory 2018”.

However, the messages have not been sent from The Shetland Times Ltd. Instead, they have been dispatched from scam operators in India which is mining information for its own use.

The spam alert has come as a frustrating development for management at The Shetland Times, which is in the midst of legitimately compiling information via email for the local directory.

Publications assistant Jenny Henry gave guidance on what to look for in the genuine email enquiry.

She said the legitimate Shetland Directory email sent from The Shetland Times would be dated 9th March 2018, and would come from The Shetland Times.

Genuine emails will have the subject: Shetland Directory 2019-20 – Please Review Your Listing(s).

Two emails were sent – one to registered residential users, and one to registered business users. Both had an introductory ‘panel’ in black with red and white text and both have the Shetland Times Publishing logo at the bottom.

Chief executive Colin Grant said: “We want to reassure people our system has not been hacked, and any data provided to us is safe.

“We do not want people to be concerned by these spam emails.”

Anyone with concerns should telephone The Shetland Times for advice on 01595 742000.