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Consumers have received e-mails that fraudulently claim to
be from the FDIC. These e-mails request that the recipients provide sensitive
personal information and they include a link to a fraudulent Web Site for this
purpose.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has been notified that consumers
have received emails that appear to the reader to be related to banking activities.
The fraudulent e-mails request that the recipients respond
to a notice from their
bank to confirm an online payment to be made for products purchased. The link contained
within the e-mail serves as a gateway to the fraudulent Web site. The fraudulent Web
site is designed to look like a page from the FDIC's authentic Web page, where the
individual is then directed to provide sensitive financial and personal information, such
as bank or credit card account numbers.
The use of this type of e-mail scam, seeking to obtain sensitive information from individuals,
is referred to as "phishing." The FDIC provides information
on its Web site that explains
more about phishing and other types of fraudulent activity targeting consumers at
www.fdic.gov.
The information on this site also provides consumers with tips on protecting personal information
from these types of scams.
This alert is intended to warn consumers that the fraudulent
e-mail, which could also possibly
contain a computer virus, was not sent by the FDIC. Financial institutions and consumers are
warned NOT to access the link or submit personal information through this site. Additionally,
as a reminder to all consumers, the FDIC strongly recommends
that individuals safeguard personal
information and refrain from responding to any unsolicited request for personal information.
For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts may be accessed from the FDIC's Web
site at www.fdic.gov. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts,
please visit www.fdic.gov.
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