More Agencies Used in Email Scams

The list of federal agencies that are being used in email scams continues to grow. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center issued separate press releases this week warning that the FBI and the U.S. military are the most recent agencies that ID thieves are using in email scams designed to trick the public in giving up personal information or to open an attachment containing malware.

In one spoof, the thieves send emails that look like they are legitimate emails from the FBI, using "pictures of the FBI Director [Robert Mueller], seal, letter head, and/or banners," according to a press release. "The types of schemes utilizing the Director's name and/or FBI are lottery endorsements and inheritance notifications." Other emails include threats to extort money, contain malicious software such as Web monitoring apps, and online auction scams.

In another scheme, spammers have sent emails that purport to be from a U.S. military official who is writing on behalf of American soldiers stationed overseas. The emails asks for the recipient to provide personal information or money.

The FBI and Defense Department now join the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission as unfortunate subjects in ID thieves' scams.