Consumers
are advised that the IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications
via e-mail. In addition, the IRS does not request detailed
personal information via e-mail or ask taxpayers for the
PIN numbers, passwords, or similar secret access information
for their credit card, bank, or other financial accounts.
Please
be cautious of unsolicited e-mails. It is recommended not
to open e-mails from unknown senders because they often
contain viruses or other malicious software. It is also
recommended to avoid clicking links in e-mails received
from unknown senders as this is a popular method of directing
victims to phishing websites.
If
you have received an e-mail similar to this, please notify
the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov.
FRAUDULENT
GRAND JURY SUMMONS CONTAINING MALWARE
04/17/08—The
IC3 warns consumers of recently reported spam e-mail containing
a fraudulent subpoena notifying recipients they are commanded
to appear and testify before a Grand Jury. The e-mail attempts
to appear authentic by containing a court case number, federal
code, name and address of a California federal court, court
room number, issuing officers’ names, and a court
seal. Recipients are directed to click the link provided
in the e-mail in order to download and print associated
information for their records. If the recipient clicks the
link, malicious code is downloaded onto their computer.
The
e-mail also contains language threatening recipients with
contempt of court charges if they fail to appear. Recipients
are also told the subpoena will remain in effect until the
court grants a release. As with most spam, the content contains
multiple spelling errors.
If you receive this type of notification and
are unsure of its authenticity, you should contact the issuing
court for validation.
Be
aware; if you receive an unsolicited e-mail, especially
from an unknown sender, it is recommended you do not open
it. If you do open the e-mail, do not click any embedded
links, as they may contain a virus or malware.
If
you have received an e-mail similar to this, please file
a complaint at www.ic3.gov.
STORM
WORM VIRUS
02/11/08—With
the Valentine's Day holiday approaching, be on the lookout
for spam e-mails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software
(malware). The e-mail directs the recipient to click on
a link to retrieve the electronic greeting card (e-card).
Once the user clicks on the link, malware is downloaded
to the Internet-connected device and causes it to become
infected and part of the Storm Worm botnet. A botnet is
a network of compromised machines under the control of a
single user. Botnets are typically set up to facilitate
criminal activity such as spam e-mail, identity theft, denial
of service attacks, and spreading malware to other machines
on the Internet.
The
Storm Worm virus has capitalized on various holidays in
the last year by sending millions of e-mails advertising
an e-card link within the text of the spam e-mail. Valentine's
Day has been identified as the next target.
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 this, or a similar e-mail, please file
a complaint at www.ic3.gov.
FBI
IDENTIFIES RECURRING FRAUDULENT E-MAIL SCAM
02/01/08—The FBI has recently developed information
indicating cyber criminals are attempting to once again
send fraudulent e-mails to unsuspecting recipients stating
that someone has filed a complaint against them or their
company with the Department of Justice or another organization
such as the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration,
or the Better Business Bureau.
Information
obtained during the FBI investigation has been provided
to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS has taken
steps to alert their public and private sector partners
with the release of a Critical Infrastructure Information
Notice (CIIN).
The
e-mails are intended to appear as legitimate messages from
the above departments, and they address the recipients by
name, and 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 for the recipient to provide a response through
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 passwords from the recipient.
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.
VISHING
ATTACKS INCREASE
01/17/08—Are
you one of many who have received an e-mail, text message,
or telephone call, supposedly from your credit card/debit
card company directing you to contact a telephone number
to re-activate your card due to a security issue? The IC3
has received multiple reports of different variations of
this scheme known as "vishing". These attacks
against US financial institutions and consumers continue
to rise at an alarming rate.
Vishing
operates like phishing by persuading consumers to divulge
their Personally Identifiable Information (PII), claiming
their account was suspended, deactivated, or terminated.
Recipients are directed to contact their bank via a telephone
number provided in the e-mail or by an automated recording.
Upon calling the telephone number, the recipient is greeted
with "Welcome to the bank of ……" and
then requested to enter their card number in order to resolve
a pending security issue.
For
authenticity, some fraudulent e-mails claim the bank would
never contact customers to obtain their PII by any means,
including e-mail, mail, or instant messenger. These e-mails
further warn recipients not to provide sensitive information
when requested in an e-mail and not to click on embedded
links, claiming they could contain "malicious software
aimed at capturing login credentials."
Please
beware—spam e-mails may actually contain malicious
code (malware) which can harm your computer. Do not open
any unsolicited e-mail and do not click on any links provided.
A
new version recently reported involves the sending of text
messages to cell phones claiming the recipient's on-line
bank account has expired. The message instructs the recipient
to renew their on-line bank account by using the link provided.
Due
to rapidly evolving criminal methodologies, it is impossible
to include every scenario. Therefore, be cognizant and protect
your PII. Beware of e-mails, telephone calls, or text messages
requesting your PII.
If you have a question concerning your account or credit/debit
card, you should contact your bank using a telephone number
obtained independently, such as from your statement, a telephone
book, or other independent means.
If
you have received this, or a similar hoax, please file a
complaint at www.ic3.gov.
AN INCREASE IN INTERNET SCHEMES CLAIMING TO BE FROM THE FBI
01/04/08—We have increasingly received reports of
fraudulent schemes misrepresenting FBI agents, officials,
and/or FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III. The fraudulent
e-mails give the appearance of legitimacy due to the usage
of pictures of the FBI Director, seal, letterhead, and/or
banners. The e-mails may also claim to come from our domestic
or overseas offices.
The types of schemes utilizing the names of FBI agents,
officials, or the Director’s name are typically lottery
endorsements and inheritance notifications. However, other
fraudulent schemes include threat and extortion e-mails,
website monitoring containing malicious computer program
attachments (malware), and online auction scams.
The social engineering technique of utilizing the FBI’s
name is to intimidate and convince the recipient the e-mail
is legitimate.
The FBI does not send out emails soliciting information
from citizens.
Please be cautious of any unsolicited e-mail referencing
the FBI, FBI Director Mueller, or any other FBI official
endorsing any type of Internet activity.
If
you have experienced this situation please notify the
IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov.
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:
-
An individual was recently arrested for the murders
of several United States and United Kingdom citizens
in relation to this matter.
-
The recipient's information was found on the subject
identifying the recipient as the next victim.
-
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.
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.
