Local businesses are being targeted by scammers impersonating Jersey’s financial services watchdog.

The Jersey Financial Services Commission issued a warning after fraudsters were found impersonating one of its employees in a targeted email scam aimed at local businesses.

According to the JFSC, the fraudulent emails are being sent from the address thomas.niederberger@jerseyfsc.org.cliopost.com, which is not connected to the organisation.

The messages falsely claim that the regulator has identified an issue during an internal review and that the recipient is being contacted in relation to their business profile and activity. Recipients are then urged to click on a link to access documents.

The JFSC has stressed that these emails are not genuine and warned businesses not to respond, click on any links, or open attachments if they receive similar correspondence.

Businesses that believe they have been targeted or affected by the scam are urged to report it to the JFSC’s enforcement team or call the confidential whistleblowing line on +44 (0)1534 887557. 

ADVICE…

Islanders who have received an email, text, call or letter from the JFSC, and are unsure whether it might be a scam, are encouraged to take the following steps to verify they are corresponding with the genuine JFSC or its employees:

  • only use the regulator’s official website – www.jerseyfsc.org
  • ensure emails from the JFSC match the official email domain – @jerseyfsc.org
  • call the JFSC on +44 (0)1534 822000 and ask to speak to the individual who sent, or appears to have sent, the message to verify its legitimacy.