Fawn police email account hacked, recipients should disregard messages

No, Fawn police are not asking anyone if they have an Amazon account.

The Comcast email account used by the township’s police department has somehow been hacked, and was being used to send phishing emails on Thursday, Supervisor David Montanari confirmed.

It comes less than two months after the township’s account, used by township Secretary Pam Ponsart, had also been compromised.

An email with the subject “Gift Item” sent from the Fawn Police Department account Thursday said, “Sorry to bother you, do you have an account with Amazon?” It was signed “Tim;” Tim Mayberry is the township’s chief of police.

Montanari said anyone who gets the email should disregard and delete it, as he did.

“It’s not an official request from the Fawn Police Department,” Montanari said. “I’m pretty certain the chief isn’t soliciting gift cards or whatever it was.”

Montanari said he doesn’t know what happened resulting in the fake emails going out, or how many had been sent. He said the township’s technology advisors will be looking into what happened.

The township’s email had been hacked on June 27, Ponsart said. She said emails were sent to about 50 addresses asking recipients for a favor or if they have an Amazon account.

One such email said, “Hey, Please can I ask a favor from you urgently?” and was signed “Pam.”

Ponsart said she changed the password on the email account after she found out.