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Get A Strange Email From Burnsville's Mayor? Don't Open It

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Residents in the south metro suburb of Burnsville should beware of an email Thursday morning from their mayor.

A spokesperson for the city says that everyone in Mayor Elizabeth Kautz' contact list likely received a phishing email.

The malware-containing message's subject line reads: "View Document and Revert to me ASAP."

The city's IT director is urging those who received the email not to open any links or attachments, as they contain malware that will start spamming recipients in their contacts list.

The city says the IT department is working to mitigate the issue.

What are phishing emails?

Phishing emails are an attempt by cyber criminals to obtain sensitive information – passwords, usernames, social security numbers -- through emails disguised as legitimate sources.

They often contain misspellings, urgent requests and even threats. If you're suspicious of such an email, do not open any of the links or attachments.

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