Brunswick Hills Tech Bulletin

A fresh perspective on tech and business news from Brunswick Hills, tailored for local entrepreneurs, medical offices, and remote workers in Medina County.

Urgent Alert: New Phishing Scam Targets Local Small Offices in Brunswick Hills & Medina County

URGENT SECURITY ALERT: Brunswick Hills & Medina County Small Offices Targeted by New Phishing Scam

Issued: Saturday, June 14, 2025 – Please share with your colleagues and neighbors!

Dear Brunswick Hills and Greater Medina County Community,

We want to get the word out fast: A new, sophisticated phishing scam is making its way through small offices, clinics, and remote work setups right in our neighborhood—and it's moving quickly. We've already heard from several local businesses that staff and clients have received suspicious emails, putting sensitive info and patient data at risk. As someone who wears multiple hats (tech, paperwork, sometimes even unboxing the new printer!), you're in the front lines. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the threat, plus practical action steps any local business can use—no IT team required.

What Is Happening?

Starting June 13th, 2025, multiple organizations in the Brunswick Hills and Medina County area reported receiving suspicious emails designed to look like urgent messages from trusted partners, insurance carriers, or even local medical boards. The attackers are trying to dupe recipients into clicking links or opening attachments, which either steal login credentials or install malicious software.

Small practices, law offices, realtors, financial consultancies, and home-based businesses are prime targets—likely because hackers bet smaller teams move quickly and may not have formal IT training or protection in place.

What Makes This Scam Different (and Dangerous)?

1. Local Details in Fake Emails

The scam emails reference real city and clinic names, sometimes even using your company’s own branding. They may mention "Brunswick Hills Medical Update," "Medina County Tax Notice," or pretend to be from vendors you actually use (like regional payroll services or utility companies).

2. Fake Urgency, Real-Looking Attachments

Subject lines feature intense urgency:

  • "[ACTION REQUIRED] Suspension of Medical License – Immediate Response Needed!"
  • "Medina County Health Mandate: Update Credentials Today"
  • "Patient Inquiry: Secure File Enclosed"
  • "[Invoice Past Due] Payment Required to Prevent Disruption"

Inside, you’ll see official-looking logos, forms, and signatures. The emails are crafted to push you to act before thinking—by clicking a link, logging in, or downloading an attachment.

3. New Methods: Malware in Various File Types

Attachments might look like PDFs or harmless Excel reports, but recent samples include .zip files and fake DocuSign forms. Clicking these can download sneaky malware—often invisible until it’s too late.

4. Social Engineering Tricks

Some scammers follow up with phone calls, pretending to "verify" that you got their message, or they'll send a follow-up from a different but similar-looking email address if you fail to respond initially.

How Are Local Businesses Affected?

Already, incidents have led to:

  • Locked-out email accounts
  • Loss of access to patient or accounting records
  • Banking fraud attempts, including fake “payroll rerouting”
  • Long hours spent cleaning up malware and recovering data

Several businesses with under 15 employees have faced days of disruption or data loss—enough to seriously impact cash flow and team morale.

Real Stories: Local Impact, Real Consequences

Family Dental Practice in Brunswick Hills

Dr. Martin’s front office manager received an “insurance update” notification. The attached PDF contained malware that sent out patient appointment lists and schedules to unknown parties. The fallout meant several hours restoring their computers—while frustrated patients called in asking about spam. It took three days to restore normal operations.

Home-Based CPA in Medina

Julie, a certified public accountant working from home, got a fake email from “IRS e-Services.” Thankfully, her gut told her to double-check the sender’s address. The real IRS would never email confidential requests. She dodged the scam, but not before almost sending sensitive tax files to a criminal.

Neighborly Steps You Can Take—Right Now

Here’s how you, your coworkers, and even the less tech-savvy members of your team can spot the scam and keep the office (and clients) safe:

1. Check the Sender’s Email Carefully

  • Don’t rely on the name shown—hover over the email address.
  • Are there swapped letters, extra numbers, or strange domains?
  • Official agencies rarely email with domains like [something]@gmail.com or [something]@secure-mailz.com.

2. Watch for Urgent, Odd, or Out-of-Character Requests

  • Is the email language stilted, off, or unusually pressing?
  • Are you being pressured to click a link, log in, or provide a password?

3. Double-Check Attachments and Links Before Opening

  • Never open attachments from unknown or unexpected sources.
  • Don’t click links that seem a bit off—especially if they ask for sign-in info right away.

4. Call to Confirm

If the message claims to be from a real vendor, board, or agency, call them using the number on your last bill or official website—not the one in the email!

5. Keep Your Security Software Updated

Even budget or free antivirus is better than nothing! Run a scan if you suspect a slip-up.

6. Share This Info with Your Office (and Neighboring Businesses)

Print or forward this alert. The more who know, the safer our whole local network.

Handy Checklist for Busy Small Offices (Print and Tape to the Monitor!)

  1. Got an urgent email? Stop and check the sender.
  2. Is it trying to scare or rush you? Be extra careful.
  3. Unexpected links or downloads? Don’t click until you confirm.
  4. Not sure? Ask your coworker or give the sender a call (with the number you know).
  5. Update your antivirus and run a scan at least once a month.

Quick Tips for Medical & Professional Offices

Medical Practice Staff:

  • NEVER email patient info if you’re unsure about the recipient.
  • Set two-factor authentication on your main EHR/accounting portals!
  • Remind all team members not to download or “enable content” in Microsoft Word/Excel attachments if they weren’t expecting them.

Remote Workers & Home Offices:

  • Turn on email notifications for suspicious logins.
  • Avoid using the same password across work and personal accounts.
  • If you get a weird message about remote desktop or someone asking to install “updates,” treat it as highly suspicious.

Business Owners:

  • Remind your staff that no good IT company, accountant, or attorney ever gets upset if you call to verify a message. Build that habit!
  • Consider a 5-minute weekly huddle to talk about office email weirdness—hearing one story could save you thousands.

What to Do if You Clicked or Downloaded Something Suspicious

  1. Disconnect from your network/Wi-Fi immediately.
  2. Call your preferred IT professional or, if you don’t have one, ask a trusted tech-savvy friend for help.
  3. Let your office manager or business partners know so they can be on high alert.
  4. Change passwords to key accounts (email, banking, EHR, etc.) from a different, unaffected device.
  5. Watch for further suspicious activity and document what happened.

Most commonly, quick action can prevent major harm. Don’t be shy about asking for help! We’re all learning as we go, and the next scam could look even slicker tomorrow.

Community Resources & Local Help

Here’s where to turn for more info and support:

  • Medina County Digital Safety Initiative: Offers free, quick security audits for micro-businesses. Reach out at local.gov/medinacountydsi.
  • Brunswick Hills Chamber of Commerce FYI: They’re sharing updates about scams as they happen. Ask to join the email alert list!
  • USA.gov’s Phishing Guide: https://www.usa.gov/stop-scams-frauds

Final Word from Your Neighborhood Tech Friend

Brunswick Hills and Medina aren’t just spots on a map—we’re a true community. When word gets out fast about new threats, it helps all our offices, clients, and employees stay a step ahead. Please feel free to share this bulletin with anyone who could benefit—especially those who think, “it could never happen to me!”

Stay sharp, stay neighborly, and as always, don’t hesitate to reach out with new tech questions or stories from your own office. The more we collaborate and talk openly about cybersecurity, the safer our local businesses will be.

If you’ve encountered other suspicious messages, want help setting up basic security, or have questions about remote work technology, drop your comments or reach out through our community tech group. Together, we've got this!

Stay safe and connected,

Your Brunswick Hills Tech Community Bulletin Team

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure—and a quick phone call can save your business a serious headache!”