Bogus FBI E-Mail

[The Dude]

From The Guardian
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued an alert Monday about a scam involving unsolicited e-mails, purportedly sent by the FBI, that tell computer users that their Internet surfing is being monitored by the agency.

The users are told they have visited illegal Web sites and are instructed to open an attachment to answer questions.

The FBI did not send these e-mails and does not send any other unsolicited e-mails to the public, an agency statement said. As many harmful computer viruses are located in e-mail attachments, the FBI said it strongly encourages computer users not to open attachments from unknown recipients.

The FBI is investigating the scam. Recipients of these e-mails are asked to report them by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov

Heres what the email and attachment contain:
Dear Sir/Madam,

we have logged your IP-address on more than 30 illegal Websites.

Important:
Please answer our questions!
The list of questions are attached.

Yours faithfully,
Steven Allison

*** Federal Bureau of Investigation -FBI-
*** 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Room 3220
*** Washington, DC 20535
*** phone: (202) 324-3000

Viruses found in the attached files.
The file question_list479.zip: Virus identified I-Worm/Sober.CF. The attachment was moved to the virus vault.

Sober is on the loose again!!!! BEWARE EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!

[DELTREE]

INTERESTING!!:naughty:

[Nick Grana]

Always some idiots that take these things seriously and reveal every piece of info about themselves to the scammer. I believe in real things like the time I received the Publisher's Clearing House notice that I won $10,000,000.:dizzy:
Some actually hopped a plane to go and collect their money only to be told to read the fine print hidden in all that garbage.
One of 5 prizes scam (http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Telemarketing/Outbound/Major/Sweepstakes/1_of_5_prizes.htm)
Don't be scammed. Use a little common sense. If it sounds to good to be true, it is.:michaelan

[Pi rules]

Do the spammers really think that everyone receiving the e-mail goes to illegal sites? If nobody went to bad sites, then they wouldn't have to worry, would they...

Thanks for the info.

[Nick Grana]

Do the spammers really think that everyone receiving the e-mail goes to illegal sites? If nobody went to bad sites, then they wouldn't have to worry, would they...
Oh young one.;) They don't know and don't care. Some idiot will bite the bait and get hooked. It's not illegal to go to an illegal site. It is illegal to d/l and possess some things that are illegal. But merely going to an illegal site is not a crime. What would be next? Thinking about going to an illegal site.
Shades of 1984. Sorry. Before your time.
Just jerking your chain, Pi. All in fun.:michaelan

[The Dude]

I hope that no one falls victim to this!!!

I was just told there is no cure for sober!!!!!!! (Isnt this an old virus??????? Why isnt there a cure)

[Pi rules]

There certainly is a fix for the Sober varients, just look at how your AV program identified it. For starters, one could try some of Symantec's tools here (http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sober.removal.tool.html).

[tweakthis]

Wow, I got emails from both the FBI and CIA this week. Does that mean I'm moving up in the world or straight to the land of flames and glory? ;)

[Snurfen]

Wow, I got emails from both the FBI and CIA this week. Does that mean I'm moving up in the world or straight to the land of flames and glory? ;)

Don't think it was so funny filling in that online form as Jayshree Davindra Al-tweakthis Bin-Fahsi, now, do you missy :rotflmao:

[The Dude]

There certainly is a fix for the Sober varients, just look at how your AV program identified it. For starters, one could try some of Symantec's tools here (http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.sober.removal.tool.html).I just copy/pasted that whole message from another site and began posting it everywhere......I dunno,someone said there isnt a cure,i dunno......... But this persons AV got it like you said so there must be a cure!!!!!!! (Or @ least defs to detect it)

[oracle128]

New FBI scam!

DEAR SIR/MADAM

OUR FBI DIRECTOR ROBERT MUELLER HAS RECENTLY DECEASED AND IN HIS PASSING LEFT $38,000,000 US DOLLARS FOR INHERITANCE HOWEVER AS HIS FAMILY IS UNABLE TO BE CONTACT WE NEED RESPECTABLE PERSON SUCH AS YOU TO ASSIST IN MOVING THESE FUNDS...

[renegade600]

New FBI scam!

DEAR SIR/MADAM

OUR FBI DIRECTOR ROBERT MUELLER HAS RECENTLY DECEASED AND IN HIS PASSING LEFT $38,000,000 US DOLLARS FOR INHERITANCE HOWEVER AS HIS FAMILY IS UNABLE TO BE CONTACT WE NEED RESPECTABLE PERSON SUCH AS YOU TO ASSIST IN MOVING THESE FUNDS...

you mean thats a scam???? :eek: I wonder if its too late.... :rotflmao:

[The Dude]

Why is everyone me$$ing with the FBI all of a sudden??

[oracle128]

Here's a little tip or two for anyone who doesn't know what's a scam and what isn't;
-Unless you have specifically given your email address to a company or organization, anything that appears to be from them probably isn't. Real companies (at least, the ones you're likely to be associated with) don't spam, and you should never assume that they could have found your email somewhere else. Even if that's not illegal in your area, you are under no obligation to respond to emails sent by a company who obtained your address without your knowledge/consent*.
-If they don't address you by full name (or at least the fake name you registered with), it's a scam.
-If they're offering it only via email, it's a scam. That includes cash, prizes (unless you entered a web-based competition, and they don't have your phone/address details), and legal threats (you are under no legal obligation to respond until you receive a written letter in the post*).
-If they're asking for any kind of login details or personal info via email, it's a scam. And if it isn't, they shouldn't be doing it via email because it's unsecure, so refuse to do it anyway.
-If it contains basic spelling or grammatical errors (including use of CAPS), it's a scam.
-If the subject is nonsensical or contains garbage characters at the end of it, it's a scam.
-Check the message headers, all good email apps should allow you to. If the originating domains don't match who they claim they are, it's a scam. Do this yourself, because you can't rely on Microsoft's Sender ID (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2005/jun05/06-22SenderID.mspx) (at least not at this stage).

If anyone else wants to add to this list, feel free.

* I am not a lawyer

[Snurfen]

Why is everyone me$$ing with the FBI all of a sudden??

This sort of nonsense didn't happen back in old Special Agent Fox Mulder's day. :disgust:

[Nick Grana]

Or Maxwell Smart, agent 86. I don't think he was ever scammed on his shoe phone. I don't even think telemarketers ever called him. I want that shoe.:dizzy:
Please remember, 'if it sounds too good to be true', it is.:michaelan