NIPR Warns Producers About Phishing Scam

The National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) has issued a security notice warning insurance producers about a phishing email targeting them. The fraudulent emails reference past due invoices and may look as if they are sent from NIPR domains: @nipr.com, @naic.org or @stripe. 

The emails may not be from NIPR. Insurance professionals who receive a suspicious invoice email claiming to be from NIPR are warned not to take any action. Do not open any attachments, click on any links or submit payment.

Ways to Identify a Fraudulent Email:

• Check the sender's email address: Fraudulent emails often use addresses that look similar to NIPR’s address. Click on the domain name to unmask the fake domain, revealing the actual sender.
• Look for generic greetings: Emails that begin with "Dear Customer" instead of having personal information, such as an actual name or customer ID may be phishing attempts.
• Examine the tone and grammar: Phishing emails often contain spelling mistakes, unusual phrasing or a sense of urgency to get the recipient to take quick action. 
• Hover over links (don’t click): Hovering over a link reveals the actual URL and can help determine if it's legitimate.
• Verify with NIPR directly: If insurance professionals ever receive an unexpected invoice or are unsure about an email's authenticity, contact the NIPR billing department directly at: niprbillingdept@nipr.com.

NIPR said it is actively working with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to investigate and monitor the phishing activity.