[SHARCbits] from KB3GYN

[Dave Haney]

      Investigative Programs
      Cyber Investigations

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      New E-Scams & Warnings
       Get e-mail updates when new scams and warnings are posted here

      AN INCREASE IN INTERNET SCHEMES PURPORTEDLY FROM THE FBI

      07/17/07—We have increasingly received reports of fraudulent schemes 
misrepresenting the FBI and Director Robert S. Mueller III. The e-mails may 
include pictures of the FBI Director, the seal, letter head, and banners. 
The letters may also claim to come from domestic or foreign FBI offices.

      Most of the schemes that use the Director’s name or refer to the FBI 
are lottery endorsements and inheritance notifications. They also include 
threat and extortion e-mails, website monitoring containing malicious 
computer program attachments (malware), and online auction scams.

      Beware of any unsolicited e-mail referencing the FBI, Director Mueller 
or any other FBI official endorsing any type of Internet activity.

      Fraudsters pretending to be from the FBI—which is an old trick—hope to 
cash in by intimidating their victims.

      If you have experienced this situation please notify the IC3 by filing 
a complaint at www.ic3.gov .


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      SPAM INVOLVING THE U.S. MILITARY

      07/17/07—We continue to receive reports of spam e-mail which claim to 
be from an official of the U.S. military sent on behalf of American soldiers 
stationed overseas. The scam e-mails vary in content; however, the general 
theme of each is to request personal information and/or funds from the 
individual receiving the e-mail.

      Beware of any e-mail received from an unknown sender which either 
requests personal information or asks for money for any reason. We recommend 
against opening e-mail from unknown senders because they often carry viruses 
or other malicious software.

      If you receive an e-mail similar to this, please file a complaint at 
www.ic3.gov.


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      GREETING CARD SCAM

      07/17/07—We continue to receive reports of Internet fraud related to 
electronic greeting cards containing malware (malicious software). The 
cards, which are also referred to as e-cards or postcards, are being sent 
via spam.

      Like many other Internet fraud schemes, the perpetrators claim the 
card is from a family member or friend. Although there have been variations 
in the spam message and attached malware, generally the spam directs the 
recipient to click the link provided in the e-mail to view their e-card. 
Upon clicking the link, the recipient is unknowingly taken to a malicious 
web page.

      Beware of unsolicited e-mails. It is recommended not to open e-mails 
from unknown senders because they often contain viruses or other malicious 
software.

      If you have received an e-mail similar to this, please file a 
complaint at www.ic3.gov.


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      NEW TWIST CONCERNING THREAT AND EXTORTION E-MAILS
      01/09/07—There is a new twist to the IC3 alert posted on December 7, 
2006 regarding e-mails claiming that the sender has been paid to kill the 
recipient and will cancel the contract on the recipient's life if that 
person pays a large sum of money. Now e-mails are surfacing that claim to be 
from the FBI in London. These e-mails note the following information:

        a.. An individual was recently arrested for the murders of several 
United States and United Kingdom citizens in relation to this matter.
        b.. The recipient's information was found on the subject identifying 
the recipient as the next victim.
        c.. The recipient is requested to contact the FBI in London to 
assist with the investigation.
      It is not uncommon for an Internet fraud scheme to have the same 
overall intent but be transmitted containing variations in the e-mail 
content, e.g., different names, e-mail addresses, and/or agencies reportedly 
involved. See our related top story on the hitman scam.

      Please note, providing any personal information in response to an 
unsolicited e-mail can compromise your identity and open you to identity 
theft.

      If you have experienced this situation please notify the IC3 by filing 
a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

      Due to the threat of violence inherent in these extortion e-mails, if 
you receive an e-mail that contains personally identifiable information that 
might differentiate your e-mail from the general e-mail spam campaign, we 
encourage you to contact the police.


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      E-MAILS CONTAINING THREATS AND EXTORTION
      12/07/06—We have recently received information concerning spam e-mails 
threatening to assassinate the recipient unless the individual pays several 
thousand dollars to the sender of the e-mail.

      The subject claims to have been following the victim for some time and 
was supposedly hired to kill the victim by a friend of the victim. The 
subject threatens to carry out the assassination if the victim goes to the 
police and requests the victim to respond quickly and provide their 
telephone number.

      Warning! Providing any personal information can compromise your 
identify and open you to identity theft.

      If you have experienced this situation, please notify your local, 
state, or federal law enforcement agency immediately. Also, please notify 
the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov.