Alaska liquor regulators warn licensees of wire-transfer phishing scam

Scammers are impersonating Alaska liquor regulators by email and demanding wire transfers from licensees, the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Office has warned.

Director Kevin Richard issued the advisory May 26 to AMCO licensees and repeated the warning in his June 23 report to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. AMCO had received reports from licensees that they were getting fraudulent emails requesting payment. The fraudulent emails carry State of Alaska watermarks, the names of AMCO officials, and applicant-specific details designed to make them look credible. "These e-mails appear official in nature, and may carry State of Alaska watermarks, names of AMCO officials, licensee names and addresses, or other information," Richard said in the advisory. "The e-mails may request payment via wire transfer or ask that the licensee request payment information."

AMCO published a copy of one fraudulent email as an example. It originated from [email protected] and was sent May 21 to a Fairbanks liquor license applicant. The email referenced the former Lavelle's Bistro location and the Downtown Fairbanks 2040 Plan to add false legitimacy, then instructed the recipient to reply for invoice settlement instructions and wire payment.

Richard said in the advisory: "Legitimate e-mails from AMCO will only come from an @alaska.gov e-mail address." Licensees who receive a payment request or information request from a different address claiming to be AMCO should delete the email or report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Licensees uncertain whether an email is genuine can write to [email protected] for verification.