The Federal Bureau of Investigation issued an alert Monday about a scam involving unsolicited e-mails, purportedly sent by the FBI, that tell computer users that their Internet surfing is being monitored by the agency.
<snip>
The FBI is investigating the scam. Recipients of these e-mails are asked to report them by visiting the Internet Crime Complaint Center at
http://www.ic3.gov .
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051122/ap_on_go_ot/e_mail_scam_2&printer=1Do you really want The FBI to have one more thing they can put in your file?
While I'm sure the virus didn't come from The FBI,
I would not cooperate with their investigation if it meant they could possibly use the spread of this virus to track your list of associates!Here's why:
Imagine your buddy Joe's computer is infected with the virus, and it emails itself to everyone in his address book.
And then one of the people in his address book also happens to be on a watch list. Let's say his name is Mohammad bin Mohammad.
And you, being a Good Citizen, dutifully report this virus to The FBI like they asked you to.
And then The FBI sees that you and Mohammad bin Mohammad were both infected by the same variety of the virus, which was emailed to both of you at the same time (you were both on Joe's list)so they label you a "known associate."
The next thing you know, there is a secret National Security Letter with your name on it and they're watching everything you're doing.
In fact, America OnLine has a policy that they give Homeland Security "unfettered access" to their entire facility and the ability to any information on their subscribers that they care to see.
If you and Mohammad bin Mohammad are both infected by the same strain of the computer virus, some guy from Homeland Security will just log into your AOL account and read all your emails, instant messages, chat room conversations...
No!
Do not report this virus to The FBI if you receive a copy. Just delete it!
But what if I am giving you bad advice that is ultimately counter-productive?
Well, that is what happens when you let the government run amok and cause otherwise law-abiding good citizens to distrust the organizations that
should be keeping us safe.
Unless I find a suspicious device strapped to my chest one morning,
I will not be sending an email to the FBI.
Not until at least 2008.
They can track down this computer virus without
my help.
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