The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is warning of fraudulent e-mails that appear to come from the FBI and U.S. military.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/07/17/FBI-and-military-names-being-used-in-email-scams_1.htmlAlso see:
An increase in internet schemes purportedly from the FBI (news release)
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.Please be cautious of any unsolicited e-mail referencing the FBI, Director Mueller, or any other FBI official endorsing any type of Internet activity.
http://ic3.gov/media/2007/070717-2.htm