Franklin officials say suspicious emails went out from Mayor Ken Moore’s official city account with the subject line "policy implementation" and are telling anyone who finds one to delete it on sight. The city’s Information Technology team is working to contain the problem and figure out whether the mayor’s account was actually compromised. The warning went out Tuesday evening, and it is definitely not the kind of "policy implementation" City Hall likes to see.
City Posts Warning as IT Investigates
In a public alert on the City of Franklin’s Facebook page, officials said the messages appeared to originate from Mayor Ken Moore’s city email account and specifically flagged emails with the subject "policy implementation." The city asked anyone who received such a message to delete it immediately.
The post adds that the city’s IT department "is working to alleviate the issue" while the investigation continues, and that any new information will be shared through official channels.
Mayor’s Office Email Matches City Listing
Mayor Ken Moore’s official profile on the City of Franklin website lists his city email as [email protected], the same account referenced in the warning. The city’s Digital Newsroom also lists communications contacts for residents and reporters who need to verify information directly with officials.
Why Suspicious Messages Matter and What To Do Next
Government email addresses, real or spoofed, are a favorite tool for phishing and fraud because people are more likely to trust something that looks official, cybersecurity agencies say. Federal guidance from CISA advises against clicking links or opening attachments in unexpected messages, recommends preserving the original email for investigators, and encourages reporting incidents to your system administrator and to federal portals like the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center IC3.
If you received an email that matches the description from the city, do not click any links or open attachments. Preserve the message, then reach out to the City of Franklin’s Communications Office through the Digital Newsroom, or contact law enforcement or file a report with IC3 if you believe you were targeted. The city says it will continue to post updates on its official Facebook page.
