28 October 2025 (Last updated 5 Nov 2025)

Dear Members

Many of you would have received or heard about the targeted phishing email from a fraudulent source pretending to be from ACPGBI, offering ‘lifetime membership for £50’. We started an internal investigation, which included the web services company that administers the ACPGBI website. While the investigation is ongoing, the web services company assured us that their server security has been reinforced, and no financial data has been lost. The ACPGBI has reported the attack to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and the police (Action Fraud). We will share further updates as they become available.

This incident serves as a timely reminder of the importance of cyber security vigilance. To strengthen security, please do these two actions immediately without delay –

• Update your ACPGBI website password today.
• Check your email security: change your password and turn on 2FA (two-factor authentication). It takes a couple of minutes and adds a strong layer of protection.

Phishing emails can appear highly convincing, often imitating legitimate contacts or organisations’ logos and templates. Please exercise caution when opening unexpected emails, clicking on links, or downloading attachments. If you receive any communication that appears suspicious or requests personal details, do not respond and report it to our Secretariat immediately.

We are working closely with our website administrators to ensure systems remain secure and to strengthen detection and monitoring safeguards. In the meantime, members can find trusted guidance on spotting and handling phishing attacks through the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) at www.ncsc.gov.uk/phishing.

Thank you for your continued vigilance and for supporting a secure digital environment for our Association.

Kind regards,

 

Athur Harikrishnan
President - ACPGBI

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