Scam Alert: Phishing Emails Are Circulating Using Our Firm's Name
We have been made aware of phishing emails circulating that falsely use our firm's name. These emails did not come from us and are not connected to our firm in any way.
What the emails look like
The emails are addressed to the administrator of a business Facebook page and are presented as a formal legal notice. They claim the page has infringed another company's copyright, refer to Meta's intellectual property policy and various copyright laws, and ask the recipient to open an attached spreadsheet and reply within seven days quoting a reference number.
They are sent from Gmail addresses, not from our domain.
How to tell they are not from us
The sender is a free Gmail address rather than an @younghunter.co.nz email address.
The letterhead carries our firm's name but shows an address that is not associated with our firm.
The communication is signed by an individual who does not work at our firm and uses a job title that is uncommon in New Zealand legal practice.
The communication contains no firm phone number, email address, or website and instead directs recipients to reply to a Gmail address.
The alleged infringement is not clearly identified. No specific posts, images, or links are referenced.
What to do if you received one
Do not open the attachment. Do not reply, as replying confirms your address is active and can lead to further scam emails. Delete the email. You can report it to the National Cyber Security Centre at ncsc.govt.nz/report or to Netsafe at netsafe.org.nz.
If you already opened the attachment or replied
Run an antivirus scan on the device you used. Change the passwords for your email and Facebook accounts and enable two-factor authentication. Check your Facebook page settings for any administrators you do not recognise.
There is no need to contact us regarding these emails
We have reported the emails to the National Cyber Security Centre. There is nothing you need to do on our behalf. If you are unsure whether a communication genuinely came from our firm, please phone us on the number listed on this website rather than any number or address provided in the email.
