FDIC Consumer Education
The FDIC has an on-line tool  to help educate consumers on how to better protect their computers and themselves from identity theft, and steps to take if they have been victimized. The presentation, Don’t Be an On-Line Victim: How to Guard Against Internet Thieves and Electronic Scams, is on the FDIC’s website.

Internet Safety Alert
Are you a safe internet user? You may be at risk if you answer “yes” to any of the following questions:

1. Do you visit websites by clicking on links within an email?
2. Do you reply to emails from companies or persons you are not familiar with?
3. Have you received packages to hold or ship to someone you met on the internet?
4. Have you been asked to cash checks and wire funds to an employer you met online?
5. Would you cash checks or money orders received through an online transaction without first confirming their legitimacy?
6. Would you provide your personal/banking information as a result of an email notification?

Don’t be an internet crime victim! For more information and to test your online practices visit www.LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com.

Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center

Consumer Fraud Reporting – Directory of Sample Lottery Scam Emails
Here are some of the more common clues you will see in a lottery or sweepstakes scam email:

1. Email notification. Real lotteries NEVER notify the winners.
2. You didn’t buy a ticket. Then how could you win?
3. Email address draw. There is no such thing as a “computer draw system” or “computer ballot draw”  of email addresses.
4. Sent from free email account. The email is sent from a free email provider such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AIM, etc.
5. Pay to collect winnings. You NEVER have to pay to collect winnings from a legitimate lottery. You pay taxes AFTER you receive the winnings.

Click here to see a directory of sample lottery scams.