WARNING! The FBI has issued a warning about phishing emails allegedly showing photos and videos of Osama bin Laden's recent corpse. These are meant to ensnare unsuspecting computer users.
From the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3):
President Obama decided not to release the photos of bin Laden's death. The content of the messages could be malware that can spread to the recipient's contact list, thus sending the fraudulent email to everyone in the contact list. The malware could be programmed to steal personally identifiable information.
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Exercise caution when receiving unsolicited emails, including messages received from people you know.
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Do not open attachments or click on links contained in suspicious emails, even when the sender is familiar.
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Do not download any photos and videos, including software to view videos allegedly showing bin Laden's death.
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Ensure that firewall and anti-virus software are up-to-date and running to detect and deflect malicious software.
The IC3 recommends the public do the following:
► Adjust the privacy settings on social networking sites you frequent to make it more difficult for people you know and do not know to post content to your page. Even a “friend” can unknowingly pass on multimedia that’s actually malicious software. Monitor your "page" for any suspicious postings, including links to other websites.
► Do not agree to download software to view videos. These applications can infect your computer.
► Read e-mails you receive carefully. Fraudulent messages often feature misspellings, poor grammar, and non-standard English.
► Report e-mails you receive that purport to be from the FBI. Criminals often use the FBI’s name and seal to add legitimacy to their fraudulent schemes. In fact, the FBI does not send unsolicited e-mails to the public. Should you receive unsolicited messages that feature the FBI’s name, seal, or that reference a division or unit within the FBI or an individual employee, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
