E-mail Scam Targeting Manatee County Residents

BRADENTON, FL – The Manatee County Clerk of Court office is warning residents to be wary of e-mails they receive summoning them to court.

Angelina Colonneso, the Manatee County Clerk of Court, said the e-mails are designed to look like the Florida Department of Justice’s E-Portal System. The e-mail instructs the recipient to open an attachment to view a summons to court.

Phishing e-mails such as these will often include an attachment or link that may download a virus or attempt to steal your personal information, the clerk’s office warned.

According to Colonneso, if a resident has been summoned for jury duty or to appear in court, they will receive an official notice in the main from the Manatee County Clerk of Courts and not an e-mail.

The Florida Department of Justice offers the following tips to avoid being scammed by fake e-mails:

• Never click on links from unknown or untrusted sources
• Never open attachments from untrusted sources
• Never share your password
• Always log out when you are finished with your computer
• Do not reply to spam or other harassing or offensive e-mail
• Use common sense when you’re sending and receiving e-mail

For more tips on how to stay safe while using e-mail, visit http://secureflorida.org/staying_safe/email_safety_tips/.

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