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SUBJECT:
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Fraudulent E-Mails
Claiming to Be From the FDIC
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Summary:
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E-mails
fraudulently claiming to be from
the FDIC are attempting to trick
recipients into installing
unknown software on personal
computers. These e-mails falsely
indicate that recipients should
download and open a "personal
FDIC insurance file" to check
their deposit insurance
coverage. The "insurance file"
may actually be a form
of spyware
or malicious code and may
collect personal or confidential
information.
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The Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation (FDIC) has become aware of
e-mails appearing to be sent from the
FDIC that are asking recipients to
download and open a "personal FDIC
insurance file" to check their deposit
insurance coverage. These e-mails are
fraudulent and were not sent by the
FDIC. The FDIC is attempting to identify
the source of the e-mails and disrupt
the transmission.
Currently, the subject line of the
fraudulent e-mails includes the wording
"check your Bank Deposit Insurance
Coverage." The e-mails state: "You have
received this message because you are a
holder of a FDIC-insured bank account.
Recently FDIC has officially named the
bank you have opened your account with
as a failed bank, thus, taking control
of its assets."
The e-mails ask recipients to "visit the
official FDIC website" by clicking on a
hyperlink provided, which appears to be
related to the FDIC and directs
recipients to a fraudulent Web site. The
Web site includes hyperlinks that appear
to open forms. However, it is believed
that clicking on the hyperlinks will
cause an unknown executable file to be
downloaded. While the FDIC is working
with the United States Computer
Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) to
determine the exact effects of the
executable file, recipients should
consider the intent of the software as a
malicious attempt to collect personal or
confidential information, some of which
may be used to gain unauthorized access
to online banking services or to conduct
identity theft. Financial institutions
and consumers should NOT access the Web
site or download the executable files
provided on the Web site.
Information about counterfeit items,
cyber-fraud incidents and other
fraudulent activity may be forwarded to
the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial
Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W.,
Room F-3054, Washington, D.C. 20429, or
transmitted electronically to
alert@fdic.gov. Information related
to federal deposit insurance or consumer
issues should be submitted to the FDIC
using an online form that can be
accessed at
http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.
For your reference, FDIC Special Alerts
may be accessed from the FDIC's website
at
www.fdic.gov/news/news/SpecialAlert/2009/index.html.
To learn how to automatically receive
FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail,
please visit
www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.
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Sandra L. Thompson
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Director
Division of
Supervision and Consumer
Protection
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Distribution: All FDIC-Insured
Institutions
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