| The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last month | | | | be fraudulent, the FBI suggests filing a complaint with |
| was made aware of an email scam in which victims | | | | the Internet Crime Complaint Center. |
| receive emails that name drop different major | | | | The Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3, |
| organizations, including Microsoft, Scotland Yard, and | | | | accepts complaints at their website from the victim |
| the FBI itself. Claiming that they represent Lottery | | | | or a third party to the victim. To report a crime, be |
| House, a so-called international lottery that has been | | | | sure to provide the following information to IC3: |
| approved by the FBI and Scotland Yard as a legal | | | | |
| operation, the senders of the scam email attempt to | | | | 1. Name |
| part victims with their money through promises of a | | | | 2. Mailing address |
| larger prize payoff. | | | | 3. Phone number |
| The emails attempt to solicit money from recipients | | | | 4. The name, address, telephone number, and Web |
| in order to claim "lottery" prizes, and often include the | | | | address, if available, of the individual or organization |
| subject line, "FBI Internet Fraud Watch/Alert," along | | | | you believe defrauded you. |
| with the name and contact information for FBI | | | | 5. Specific details on how, why, and when you |
| Director Robert Mueller. It instructs the recipient to | | | | believe you were defrauded. |
| send money for "up-front fees," sometimes | | | | 6. Any other relevant information you believe is |
| amounting to thousands of dollars, to secure prizes | | | | necessary to support your complaint. |
| that the victim supposedly won in an international | | | | It's important to remember that if you receive an |
| sweepstakes sponsored by a major corporation, | | | | email that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. |
| most often Microsoft and MasterCard. The email also | | | | No legitimate lottery should ask you for money via |
| states that the FBI and Scotland Yard are monitoring | | | | email, including credit card or bank account numbers. |
| all monetary transactions, and that the securing fee is | | | | The FBI recommends consumers beware of any |
| insured. Predictably, those who fall for the scam | | | | email requesting payments, fees, or other up-front |
| never hear from the organization again, and never do | | | | deposits, as these sorts of requests are usually |
| get that "insured" money back. | | | | fraudulent. Additionally, from a computer security |
| The return email address of an email containing this | | | | standpoint, users should not follow any links in such |
| scam may be listed as "FBIfraudalert@hotmail.co.uk" | | | | an email, for fear of accidentally downloading viruses |
| or "FBIfraudwatch@hotmail.co.uk." If you have | | | | or spyware. |
| received this email or a similar email you suspect to | | | | |