On 10 July 2025 the Home Office issued a notification on the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) as well as direct communications to sponsors' Key Contacts and Authorising Officers, warning of phishing scams that could compromise SMS account security.
According to these communications, the Home Office has become aware of multiple SMS email phishing scams, involving emails purporting to be from the Home Office. These emails are often sent to general email addresses appearing on organisations' websites, rather than to a specific individual address.
The scam emails mention a warning being placed on the SMS, and advise that to avoid compliance action or suspension of the SMS account, you should log into the SMS using a provided link. If you click on the link, you are asked to provide your SMS User ID and password. Entering this may result in the scammer being able to access your SMS account.
The Home Office confirms:
- Legitimate emails from the Home Office will only come from an email address ending in @homeoffice.gov.uk, @fco.gov.uk or @fdco.gov.uk, the Account Management Portal (AMP) or the SMS message board;
- Legitimate emails will be sent to key personnel directly, not to general organisation email addresses;
- That the Home Office will never ask key personnel on a sponsor licence to verify their User ID or password;
- That the Home Office will never provide a link or password to log into the SMS;
- Not to click on links in suspicious emails;
- Not to share SMS login details;
- To change your SMS password regularly, using a long, strong password;
- To use different passwords if you have access to multiple SMS accounts;
- To deactivate Level 1 and Level 2 users who leave or change roles within the organisation;
- To keep your contact details updated;
- To always have one or more active Level 1 users;
- To access your SMS account from the GOV.UK 'UK visa sponsorship management system' page; and
- If your SMS account may have been compromised, change your password and ask other Level 1 and Level 2 users to change theirs.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
