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David
N. Kirkman
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North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services |
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More Calls, Emails, Faxes and Letters Claiming to be from Government Agencies ****** Fraud Alert #167 ******
Various government agencies and officials continue to issue warnings that scam artists around the world are impersonating them in order to obtain sensitive financial information from consumers. Two days ago, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issued another warning that con artists were sending consumers faxes, letters and emails bearing its name and logo. Another government agency, the Federal Trade Commission, now states that con artists are utilizing its name and official logo in emails designed to obtain sensitive financial information and implant spyware or other malicious programs in consumers’ personal computers. Previously, con artists claiming to be with that agency placed unsolicited phone calls to consumers. The fraudulent messages are similar to requests for sensitive account information purporting to come from private entities, such as banks, utilities, health insurance companies and others.
Like most government agencies, the FDIC and the Federal Trade Commission do not initiate unsolicited communications seeking consumers’ financial information. Any such communication should be treated with extreme caution. Consumers who are uncertain about the legitimacy of such a communication should contact the agency at its published telephone number or website address. They should avoid opening email attachments that accompany such messages and never respond to the communication directly via an email reply, a return fax or a phone call to a number listed in the message, or by answering the caller’s questions.
******End of Alert******
July 5, 2007 |
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NC Senior Consumer Fraud Task Force View Alerts: Federal
Trade Commission Alerts Related links The United States Postal Inspection Service - Watch
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