An Increase in Internet Schemes Purportedly From the FBI
The IC3 has increasingly received intelligence of fraudulent schemes misrepresenting the FBI and/or 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, letter head, and/or banners. The types of schemes utilizing the Director's name and/or FBI are lottery endorsements and inheritance notifications.
Other fraudulent schemes representing the FBI claim to be from domestic as well as International offices. The schemes cover a range from threat and extortion e-mails, Web site 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.
Spam Involving the U.S. Military
The FBI continues 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.
Be wary of any e-mail received from an unknown sender which either requests personal information of the recipient or solicits the submission of money for any reason. It is suggested that e-mails from unknown senders not be opened by the recipient because they often carry viruses or other malicious software within the e-mail.
Greeting Card Scam
The FBI continues 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 use social engineering tactics to entice the victim, claiming 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.