THE fire service has warned residents of a scam email pretending to be sent from its headquarters.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said a phishing email requesting personal information from an address under the name ‘dpo@nwlaes_fireservice.org.uk’.

The email contains a number of spelling mistakes but uses the postal address of the fire service’s Data Protection Officer.

The fire service said the email has not originated from within the organisation.

In a statement it said that “under no circumstances” should the email be responded to.

“If you receive such an email under no circumstances should you reply to it or click on any links it contains,” the statement said.

“It is recommended that you block the sender’s address and delete the email immediately.”

Phishing is a type of online scam where criminals send an email that appears to be from a legitimate organisation and ask you to provide sensitive information.

It is usually done by including a link that will appear to take you to the organisation’s website to fill in your information – but the website is a clever fake and the information you provide goes straight to the crooks behind the scam.

Anyone who receives the email can report it to ActionFraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime at www.actionfraud.police.uk/report-phishing