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Highlands Today

Fraudulent E-mails Trick Computer Users

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By GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: October 13, 2008

If you get an e-mail from the FDIC saying the federal government is here to help you, don't believe it.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said last week e-mails have been sent from scammers, asking recipients to open and review an attached file.

One subject line of the e-mail states: "Funds wired into your account are stolen."

The fraudulent e-mail tells the recipient that proceeds from identity theft crimes have been wire-transferred into their bank account. Recipients are directed to open and review an attached copy of their bank account statement and then contact their bank account managers.

Do not open the attached file, and do not reply to the e-mail, the FDIC said.

The attachment is actually an executable file containing software which collects online banking credentials or other personal and confidential information that could be used to gain unauthorized access to on-line banking services or perpetrate identity theft and other criminal activities.

According to the FDIC, antivirus software programs have been detecting and removing the malicious attachment before the e-mail is delivered. However, if a recipient does open the attachment, the FDIC recommends updating anti-virus software patches and performing a complete scan of the computer and network, if applicable.

If a computer becomes infected and the user encounters difficulties removing the malicious code, users should contact their anti-virus software vendor. The FDIC highly recommends using anti-virus software.

More info: www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/guard/

Gary Pinnell can be reached at gpinnell@highlandstoday.com or 863 386-5828

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