April 29, 09

NEWS / New E-Scams & Warnings. CIRCULATION OF FRAUDULENT E-MAIL CLAIMING TO BE FROM U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER

A spam e-mail claiming to be from former CBP Assistant Commissioner Thomas S. Winkowski is currently being circulated. This attempt to defraud is the typical e-mail scam using the name and reputation of a federal government official to create an air of authenticity.

The spam e-mail indicates the CBP has stopped a Diplomat who is carrying a consignment to be delivered to the recipient’s residence. This consignment allegedly contains millions of dollars, which is revealed to be an inheritance for the e-mail recipient.

As with many other scams, this e-mail advises the recipient they will be permitted to access this inheritance once the recipient has given the sender of the e-mail their personal information.

This e-mail is a hoax. Do not respond.

The U.S. CBP does not send unsolicited e-mails. Consumers should not respond to unsolicited e-mails or click on any embedded links, as they may contain viruses or malware.

It is imperative consumers guard their personally identifiable information (PII). Examples of a person’s PII include, but are not limited to: date of birth; social security number; and bank account numbers. Providing your PII will compromise your identity.

If you have received this e-mail, or a similar e-mail, please file a complaint at www.ic3.gov.