Consumer Alert

Watch out for FBI Email Scams

Scammers will frequently send spam email messages purporting to be from government agencies and government officials, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The messages claim that the recipient must pay a fee to collect funds owed to them or receive a service. Often, the messages ask the recipient to provide personal information. There have been several variations of this type of scam reported.

A recent hoax email sent to people across the country, including Alaska residents, falsely claims that the recipient is required to pay a fee to obtain a clearance certificate from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or face criminal prosecution.

If you receive this type of message, don't respond. The FBI and other federal government agencies do not send these types of unsolicited email messages.

Tips for protecting yourself from an email scam:

• Never provide personal, banking or credit card information in response to an unsolicited email, even if the message appears to come from a government or law enforcement agency.
• Do not open links embedded in hoax email messages.

For more information about protecting yourself from email scams, visit the website OnGuardOnline.gov.

If you think that someone is engaging in email fraud report it to the Alaska Attorney General's Office and the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Consumer Protection Unit
June 2011