Hackers may have misused US government’s email alert system to send scam messages

Hackers have reportedly misused a US federal and state government department’s email notification system to send scam messages. This system, which is used to alert residents to important information, has been exploited by cybercriminals, a report claims. According to a report by TechCrunch, the US state of Indiana has said that it is “aware of fraudulent messages purportedly sent by state agencies” concerning unpaid tolls. The report also claims to have reviewed an example of a scam email sent from an Indiana government department.

This email claimed the recipient had an outstanding toll balance and contained a disguised link redirecting to a malicious site. The Indiana Office of Technology issued a statement saying they are “working with the company that was used to deliver those messages to stop any further communication.”