Sunset Beach Police warn public after fake email posing as Mayor Shannon circulates
SUNSET BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The Sunset Beach Police Department is warning residents after a spoofed email was discovered falsely appearing to come from Mayor Shannon and sent to an applicant involved in a Planning Board request.
Officials say the email, which referenced an amendment to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), is fraudulent and part of a broader type of cyber deception known as email spoofing.
Email spoofing is a technique used by attackers to forge the sender’s address so a message appears to come from a trusted source. Authorities say the goal is often to trick recipients into revealing sensitive information, clicking malicious links, or opening harmful attachments.
Police note that spoofed emails often include warning signs such as mismatched sender addresses, urgent or pressuring language, and suspicious links or attachments that do not match the claimed source. Even when a display name appears legitimate, the actual email address may reveal spelling errors or a different domain.
Officials advise residents to verify unusual requests through another method of contact, such as a phone call, and to review email headers when possible, to confirm the true sender. They also urge caution before clicking links or downloading files from unexpected messages.
The Sunset Beach Police Department says awareness is key in preventing cyber fraud and protecting both individuals and local government communications.
