The FBI has recently released information indicating cyber criminals are attempting to once again send fraudulent e-mails to unsuspecting recipients.
The e-mails inform you that someone has filed a complaint against you or your company with the Department of Justice or another organization such as the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, or the Better Business Bureau.
The e-mails are intended to appear as legitimate messages from the above departments, and they address you by name; other personal information may be contained within the e-mail.
Consistent with previous efforts, the scam will likely be an effort to secure Personally Identifiable Information. The nature of these types of scams is to create a sense of urgency, so you respond by clicking on a hyperlink, opening an attachment, or initiating a telephone call.
It is believed this e-mail refers to a complaint that is in the form of an attachment, which actually contains virus software designed to steal your passwords.
The virus is wrapped in a screensaver file wherein most anti-virus programs are unable to detect its malicious intent. Once downloaded, the virus is designed to monitor username and password logins, and record the activity, as well as other password-type information, entered on the compromised machine.
Be wary of any e-mail received from an unknown sender. Do not open any unsolicited e-mail and do not click on any links provided.
If you have received a scam e-mail please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov. For more information on e-scams, please visit the FBI’s New E-Scams and Warnings Web page.
Filed under: Scams and Badware
