The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has become aware of fraudulent e-mails appearing to be from the FDIC. The e-mails ask recipients to click on a hyperlink titled "Take the Corrective Action – Implement the LinkBank System." When accessed, the hyperlink takes the individual to a "spoofed" FDIC Web page. At that point, the individual is directed to provide online banking information, including bank name, username, and password.

The fraudulent e-mails appear in "memo format" and are purportedly from "Russell A. Rau, Assistant Inspector General for Audits." The e-mails include a "Subject" line that states: "Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection's Risk-Focused Compliance Examination Process for [recipient's name inserted] (Report No. 05-038)."

The FDIC does not directly contact consumers in this manner, nor does the FDIC request personal financial information from consumers. Financial institutions and consumers should NOT access the link provided within the body of these e-mails and should NOT, under any circumstances, provide any personal financial information through this medium.

Financial institutions and consumers should be aware that other similar e-mails may be sent that falsely claim to be from the FDIC.

The FDIC is attempting to identify the source of the fraudulent e-mails and disrupt the transmission. Until this is achieved, consumers and financial institutions should notify the FDIC at alert@fdic.gov of any similar attempts to obtain personal financial information.

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-4004, 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/2006/index.html. To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Special Alerts through e-mail, please visit www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

Distribution: All FDIC-Insured Institutions

NOTE: Paper copies of FDIC Special Alerts may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center (1-877-275-3342).