Govt: FDIC e-mails may be frauds

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MIAMI, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Florida is warning about phony e-mail messages supposedly from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. or the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The e-mails typically ask for personal bank account information, the South Florida Business Journal reported Thursday.

"Financial institutions and consumers should not access the link provided in the e-mail nor should they provide any personal information," said Tom Gallagher, who also oversees Florida's Department of Financial Services.

Late last week the FDIC and the OCC said they started getting complains from consumers who said they received e-mail alleging the director of the Department of Homeland Security had advised the FDIC to suspend all deposit insurance on the recipient's bank account due to suspected violations of the Patriot Act.

The e-mail further falsely says deposit insurance will be suspended until personal identity, including bank account information, can be verified, the state said.

Gallagher said consumers who receive these e-mails can forward them to the FDIC at alert@fdic.gov or report them by going to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center Web site at ifccfbi.gov/index.asp.