FTC Issues Alert about Identity Theft Scam -- Spammers Pose as
Federal Government Operation
A new Spam Scam Alert from the Federal Trade Commission
could help consumers avoid becoming identity theft victims. The Alert, Someone Is Phishing For Your
Information, warns that consumers may receive e-mails that claim to be from regulations.gov, a
government Web site where consumers can comment on federal rule-making. The e-mails’ subject
lines typically read, "Official information," or "Urgent information to all credit card holders!" and claim
that recent changes in the law require that Internet users identity themselves to the government to
"create a secure and safer Internet community." The e-mail includes a link to a Web site that mimics
regulations.gov and asks readers to provide their personal financial information.