TN Secretary of State warns citizens of circling email spoofing scam

Email Spoofing Scam / Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) —  Tennessee’s Secretary of State Tre Hargett is warning Tennesseans of a scam going around.

Secretary Hargett issued a warning about the scams Tuesday, February 18, 2025, saying the subject line would say, “Exciting News!”.

The email claims that Secretary Hargett has filed a sponsorship on a individual’s behalf in Tennessee.

The email also asks the recipient to be on the lookout for an email directly from Secretary Hargett, asking to personally connect.

“While this communication appears to originate from our office, it is not legitimate.  We have seen similar scams like this one in the past, and we encourage all Tennesseans to remain vigilant, so they are not victimized by bad actors.”

-Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett

Secretary Hargett also said most emails communications from the Secretary of State’s office originate from tnsos.gov domains featuring contact information and signatures.

If you receive this scam, you are encouraged to forward it to communications@tnsos.gov and it will be shared with the proper authorities.