Virus arrives in e-mail allegedly sent by FBI
The FBI is warning the public about malicious e-mails designed to appear as if they were generated by the law enforcement agency, CNET News.com reports. Here is the actual warning from the FBI’s web site:
Washington, D.C. – The FBI today warned the public to avoid falling victim to an on-going mass e-mail scheme wherein computer users receive unsolicited e-mails purportedly sent by the FBI. These scam e-mails tell the recipients that their Internet use has been monitored by the FBI’s Internet Fraud Complaint Center and that they have accessed illegal web sites. The e-mails then direct recipients to open an attachment and answer questions. The attachments contain a computer virus.
These e-mails did not come from the FBI. Recipients of this or similar solicitations should know that the FBI does not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public in this manner.
Opening e-mail attachments from an unknown sender is a risky and dangerous endeavor as such attachments frequently contain viruses that can infect the recipient’s computer. The FBI strongly encourages computer users not to open such attachments.
The FBI takes this matter seriously and is investigating. Users receiving e-mails of this nature are encouraged to report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center via http://www.ic3.gov.
There are some things that the discerning reader should realize:
- There is no replacement in law enforcement for a visit by men (or women) in nicely pressed suits asking you lots of questions.
- If law enforcement should take an interest in which web sites you are visiting (especially of the “illegal” variety) they will want to seize your hard drive(s)
- Sending an email telling someone that they’re a “person of interest” in an investigation is just asking for them to try to destroy evidence.
Now you thought of all of those things already, right? Of course you did.
This is yet another reason why you should keep your anti-virus software up to date and scanning all incoming attachments.
And if you get a copy, make sure to do as the FBI asks and report it. This is really not much different than someone putting on a policeman’s uniform and impersonating an officer. Except, of course, for the fact that you can’t ask for an email’s photo identification or badge number.
MickC @ February 23, 2005