The City of Little Rock wants to alert area business license holders to a potential phishing threat. Phishing is the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable sources in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

The phishing email is titled “2020 Renewal Information for Business Licenses and Re-Certification.” and asks business owners to confirm the status of completed business license renewal by clicking on a link. Any business that receives the email should delete it without clicking any links. The Treasury Division recently mailed business license renewal notices but does not require electronic confirmation.

After a similar phishing attempt by OneDrive in 2018, the City of Little Rock Treasury Management Division removed account numbers and email addresses from its online database as a precaution. However, as public records, the information remains available through the Freedom of Information Act.

It is unclear how many of the approximate 13,000 business license holders could receive the fake notice. However, any Little Rock business with concerns may contact the Treasury Management Division at 501-371-4438 or 501-371-4567 to confirm account information. Inquiries may be sent via email to LRTreasury@littlerock.gov.