Fake FBI Warning Email Scam

Fake FBI Warning Email Scam Beware of messages purporting to originate from the FBI (or CIA) accusing you of visiting illegal websites. These emails are unauthorized and arrive with an attachment containing the Sober virus. This virus-bearing email with a malicious file attached has been circulating since February 2005. Make sure your antivirus software is up to date and your computer is scanned regularly. Another variant of the message comprises the users computer with a virus that can install itself when clicking on a compromised website. A window pops up indicating that the user’s Internet address was identified by the FBI or the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section as associated with child pornography sites. To unlock their computer, users are informed they have to pay a fine using a service for prepaid money cards. How to Handle a Fake FBI Email If you receive a message like this, dont panic - but do delete it without clicking on any links or opening any attached files. Attachments to these emails contain a worm called Sober-K (or a variant thereof). Though these messages and others similar to them purport to come from the FBI or CIA and may even show return addresses like policefbi.gov or postcia.gov, they were not authorized or sent by any U.S. government agency. FBI Statement on the Message Containing a Virus FBI ALERTS PUBLIC TO RECENT E-MAIL SCHEMEEmails purporting to come from FBI are phonyWashington, D.C. - The FBI today warned the public to avoid falling victim to an ongoing mass email scheme wherein computer users receive unsolicited emails purportedly sent by the FBI. These scam emails tell the recipients that their Internet use has been monitored by the FBIs Internet Fraud Complaint Center and that they have accessed illegal web sites. The emails then direct recipients to open an attachment and answer questions. The attachments contain a computer virus.These emails 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 emails to the public in this manner.Opening email attachments from an unknown sender is a risky and dangerous endeavor as such attachments frequently contain viruses that can infect the recipients computer. The FBI strongly encourages computer users not to open such attac hments. Sample Fake FBI Email Heres email text contributed by A. Edwards on Feb. 22, 2005: Dear Sir/Madam,We have logged your IP-address on more than 40 illegal Websites.Important: Please answer our questions! The list of questions are attached.Yours faithfully,M. John StellfordFederal Bureau of Investigation -FBI-935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 2130Washington, DC 20535(202) 324-3000 Sample Fake CIA Email Heres email text contributed anonymously on Nov. 21, 2005: Dear Sir/Madam,We have logged your IP-address on more than 30 illegal Websites.Important:Please answer our questions! The list of questions are attached.Yours faithfully,Steven AllisonCentral Intelligence Agency -CIA-Office of Public AffairsWashington, D.C. 20505phone: (703) 482-06237:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., US Eastern time Sources and further reading: FBI Alerts Public to Email ScamFBI press release, February 22, 2005