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FBI warns of soccer academy email scam
Feb 14, 2012 (The Knoxville News-Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story identified a new soccer academy in Knoxville and an FBI warning of a possible email scam trying to enroll students. The club is nonexistent. The FBI has since said the information it released was merely an advisory to the public to protect personally identifiable information.
KNOXVILLE -- An email invitation now circulating for a new Knoxville soccer club that requires much more than a tryout is actually a scam, according to a warning from the FBI.
The new scam claims to offer enrollment in the soccer club, according to the warning issued today by the FBI Knoxville office.
The ruse is designed to persuade people to divulge their Personally Identifiable Information, or PII, such as credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, mother's maiden name, etc.
The email scam also includes web links directing potential victims to a fraudulent website or message that appears legitimate.
Anyone who believes they may have been a victim or who have provided their personal information is advised to immediately notify their credit card company, as well as the three major credit bureaus.
Victims also may file complaint with the Internet Crimes Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov and forward the fraudulent email message to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov.
The FBI also offers the following tips to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud:
--Never respond to unsolicited (spam) email;
--Do not click on web links contained within an unsolicited email;
--Avoid filling out forms contained in a message that specifically asks for PII;
--Log directly onto the official website for the business identified in the email instead of clicking the link;
--If you are asked to respond quickly, remember that fraudsters want to create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly.
___ (c)2012 the Knoxville News-Sentinel (Knoxville, Tenn.) Visit the Knoxville
News-Sentinel (Knoxville, Tenn.) at www.knoxnews.com Distributed by MCT
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