Illinois Attorney General Bewares People about Stimulus Scams

Illinois (USA) Attorney General, Lisa Madigan, is asking consumers to guard themselves against phishing e-mails that promise to them help for getting their share of money from the Obama stimulus plan, as reported by TheNewsGazette on March 18, 2009.

Madigan warns that consumers nationwide are getting e-mails that purport to be from government agencies seeking for personal information, particularly bank account numbers so that the operators could deposit the stimulus money straight into consumers' accounts. But users who divulge their information instead help the scammers withdraw money from their accounts.

Furthermore, consumers are also receiving e-mails that belong to other kinds of scams that provide information through certain hyperlinks on how one can qualify for the stimulus payment. However, these hyperlinks download spyware or nasty software that helps in ID theft.

Attorney General says that at the time when people everywhere are watching their moneybags, it is essential that consumers maintain vigilance. According to her, no matter how genuine these e-mails might appear, they are not real and illegitimate. Evidently, the e-mail scammers would attempt to exploit people who are desperately in need of help, Ms. Madigan explained.

Similarly, security experts said that people devoured with debt, giving up their homes due to foreclosure and looking for jobs, are looking for some relief. On the other hand, scammers are targeting these vulnerable people to make quick money.

Therefore, Ms. Madigan urges extreme caution on the part of consumers. If anyone approaches them saying that he/she is in power to arrange for their share of federal stimulus for, it would most likely be a fraud.

She further said that her Office had enforced relevant law to safeguard the general people and to make sure that the market runs in a fair manner. Furthermore, the Division is working to provide information to Illinois citizens on how not to fall victim to consumer fraud.

During 2008, while there had been a surge of e-mail scams surrounding the federal stimulus, scams now are much more devious that try to steal people's personal details, money or both.

Related article: Illinois Attorney General Bewares People about Stimulus Scams

» SPAMfighter News - 3/28/2009