Concord, NH – Attorney General John M. Formella and Labor Commissioner Ken Merrifield issue a Consumer Alert warning New Hampshire residents about a recent report of scammers sending a fraudulent email purporting to be from the New Hampshire Department of Labor and the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire.

The email in question targeted a New Hampshire business. The sender purported to be "legal counsel and associate to the NH US district court." The sender alleged that the target business was engaged in illegal employment practices and said that "I do not want to pursue this legally but kindly ask you to comply with all laws relevant to this general topic." The sender identified themselves as "Esq. J Wilson" and had a signature block stating "New Hampshire Department of Labor" and listing the contact information for that agency. The sender did not ask for money, but presented a long list of federal laws that the sender alleged were being violated and warned that a "physical viewing may follow."

Attorney General Formella and Commissioner Merrifield offer the following tips to avoid falling victim to scams involving false impersonations of state or federal officials:

• State agencies will never contact a business or individual through an email address that does not have a "nh.gov" ending. For any email from the Department of Labor, that ending will read "@dol.nh.gov."
• Federal courts and their employees do not investigate or prosecute violations of federal law. Be wary of any communications alleging violations of law from a person purporting to be a court employee.
• Confirm the legitimacy of any person claiming to be a representative of a state agency by contacting the particular state agency through its official contact email or phone number. A listing of every state agency, and links to each agency's website and contact information, can be found at https://www.nh.gov/government/agencies.htm.
• Confirm the legitimacy of any person claiming to be a United States District Court employee or representative by contacting the court at 603-225-1423 or 1-855-333-2052 (toll free).
• Confirm the legitimacy of any person claiming to be an attorney by contacting the NH Bar Association at (603) 224-6942.

This matter is currently being investigated by the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the Attorney General's Office.

If you or someone you know receives a similar email, please report it to your local police department and the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the Attorney General's Office. Complaints can be filed at: https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints/index.htm or by calling the Consumer Hotline at (603) 271-3641.

• A copy of the fraudulent letter