Police Scotland are raising awareness of a new form of phishing email which is targeting companies and organisations in relation to recruitment and job vacancies.

Phishing is when an attacker encourages someone to do ‘the wrong thing’, for example: disclose sensitive information, click on a link or download a piece of malicious software (malware). Phishing is more commonly carried out via email and social media but can also take place via telephone and text message.

These recent attacks have seen companies receive emails containing CV’s in response to job adverts, but clicking on the attached document allows the system to be compromised and may result in malware being downloaded onto their network, often in the form of Ransomware.

We would encourage all users to ensure their security software is up-to-date and that their data is backed up regularly. Companies should also remain vigilant when dealing with any unsolicited emails or visiting websites that they are not familiar with.

If you are the victim of any type of cybercrime please contact Police Scotland on 101, and for more information on Phishing and Ransomware and what you can do to protect yourself, please visit the National Cyber Security Centre website at:

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John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.