Internet scammers posing as Internet cops

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Most people may not be familiar with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) but their ears are likely to perk when told it’s an operation sponsored by the FBI. And it’s the specter of being targeted by the FBI that makes this brazen email scam plausible.

From an IC3 press release:    

Victims report that the unsolicited e-mail sender is a representative of the IC3. The e-mails state that a criminal report was filed on the victim’s name and social security number and legal papers are pending. Scammers impersonate an IC3 employee to increase credibility and use threats of legal action to create a sense of urgency. Victims are informed they have one to two days from the date of the complaint to contact the scammers. Failure to respond to the e-mail will result in an arrest warrant issued to the victim.

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