Dear EFMI family
As we continue to advance EFMI's work in medical informatics, we must also be mindful of the challenges that arise in our digital communication. Recently, an unauthorized email was sent using my name and position as EFMI President requesting urgent assistance. This email did not originate from me, and I regret any confusion or inconvenience it may have caused. Such incidents remind us of the importance of trust and the vigilance required to maintain it in today’s fast-paced digital environment.
Trust and the Digital World
Trust is the foundation of our relationships in EFMI —both personal and professional. In an era where digital communication has become the norm, we must be especially cautious, as trust can easily be undermined by malicious actors exploiting vulnerabilities.
Trust is about our belief in one another and verifying the systems and structures we use to communicate. We all must remain vigilant and approach any unusual or unexpected communication with a critical eye.
Steps for Handling Suspicious Emails from the eyes of an Informatician
To help ensure that trust is maintained and that none of us falls victim to email
scams, here are a few simple but effective steps I use every time I feel insecure
about an email.
1. Verify the Sender: Always confirm the sender’s email address. If anything seems off, contact them through another trusted communication method.
2. Check the Language and Tone: Be mindful of unusual or urgent requests. A shift in language or tone can indicate a scam. If its urgent, I will always CALL .
3. Examine Links and Attachments: Don’t click on links or open attachments unless you are sure of the email’s legitimacy. Confirm with the sender if necessary. ( as most of you did regarding this mail )
4. Report Suspicious Emails: If you suspect an email is fraudulent, report it to your IT or security team. Quick action helps protect you and your colleagues.
Final Thoughts:
Trust remains a cornerstone of our work in EFMI, but must be continually reinforced through careful observation and verification. In a world where communication is instant, taking an extra moment to verify the legitimacy of an email can save time and protect valuable relationships. As we move forward, let’s continue to rely on each other for collaboration and maintaining a secure and trusted environment for the whole EFMI Family. Thank you for your attention and for your continued commitment to our shared mission.
Warm regards, ( September 11 , 2024 )
Lars Lindsköld
PS: This is the email I use: lars.Lindskold (at)sfmi.se, Lars.Lindskold(at)gmail.com sometimes Lars.Lindskold(at)scilifelab.se I´m also creating an official email: President(at)efmi.org. However not in use yet. I also include the content you can store in a .vcf file to read into your contacts. Just change back (at)
to @
BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:3.0
FN:Lars Lindsköld
ORG:EFMI
TITLE:President
EMAIL;lars.lindskold(at)sfmi.se
EMAIL;PREF:President(at)efmi.org
TEL;WORK;VOICE:+46705406520
ADR;WORK:;;Stensered 103;Kinnared;;31495;Sweden
END:VCARD
How to Save and Use:
1. Copy the text above.
2. Paste it into a plain text editor.
3. Save the file with a .vcf extension (e.g., Lars_Lindskold.vcf).
4. Import the file into your contact management system.