 Beware of E-mail Scams Coming to the FSMPalikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): August 20, 2010 - Following, is an excerpt from an e-mail received in May 2010, by Wilson Waguk, FSM Banking Commissioner: "Hello My Dear, How Is Your Family? Contact Western Union money transfer office immediate to give you $5000.00 dollars. I told them to keep sending you $5,000.00 daily until the payment of $800,000 USD is completed. You're File No. is KGU/8020182590." The e-mail goes on to request that you provide your name, address, telephone number and account number. "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is," said John Mahan, Assistant Attorney General for the FSM Department of Justice (DOJ). The Banking Board, the Financial Intelligence Unit of the National Police and the DOJ, have observed a recent increase in e-mail criminal activity targeting the FSM. The goal of these criminals is to get sufficient personal information about an individual to steal their money. This increase in activity may have been triggered by the concurrent increase in wire transfer offices opening up shop in FSM, offices such as Western Union and Moneygram. It is possible that as a result of more frequent money transfers in and out of the FSM, a wave of interest has been stirred in these criminals. The Financial Intelligence Unit of the National Police recommends being aware of the following:
Unfortunately, e-mail crime is part of using the internet; the FSM National Police recommends that if you feel you have been the victim of an e-mail crime, contact them immediately. |