Jamie Stone has raised concerns over a fast-evolving form of fraud after one of his constituents was targeted by an email impersonation scam.
The Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross MP acted after learning of a case where a fraudster used a genuine email address, set up a diversion and intercepted replies before asking for Airbnb vouchers under the pretence of helping a child with cancer.
The incident highlighted how convincing these scams can be and how easily people can be drawn in by messages that appear to come from someone they trust.
Mr Stone has tabled a question to the Department for Science Innovation and Technology to ask what oversight exists of email service providers and what protections are in place to prevent diversion scams and impersonation fraud.
He has warned that scammers are adapting quickly and that those who are less confident with technology are particularly vulnerable.
“The way scammers are operating is evolving quickly and my concern is that my constituents, particularly those who are not as technologically adept, are becoming more susceptible to instances of fraud.
“I’d advise everyone who receives a questionable email phone call or text to act with caution and consult others before doing anything.
“In a world where technology is rapidly changing and becoming more sophisticated I want to know exactly what the Government is doing to ramp up their regulation so that people all across the UK are protected from this sort of crime.”
Mr Stone is urging people to contact the supposed sender by phone rather than replying to any suspicious email.
He says all cases should be reported either to the consumer advice service on 0808 164 6000 or to Police Scotland on 101 so that patterns can be identified and further victims prevented.
He will press ministers for clearer answers on how email providers are regulated and what steps will be taken to prevent similar diversion scams in future.
