The Federal Trade Commission issued a warning Thursday that consumers may receive fraudulent e-mails claiming to be from regulations.gov, a government Web site where consumers can comment on federal rule making.
The e-mails — which typically have subject lines such as “Official Information” or “Urgent information to all credit card holders!” – claim that recent changes in law require Internet users to identify themselves to the government for security reasons. A link in the e-mail mimics regulations.gov and asks recipients to provide their personal financial data.
Providing the information could lead to identity theft, warned the FTC, noting that the real regulations.gov site does not collect financial information and that there is no law requiring Web users to register with the government.
The FTC advises consumers who receive e-mail from a company or government agency asking for personal information not to click on links in the e-mail, but to rather contact that organization using a phone number or Web address they have used in the past.
Consumers who recently have shared credit card or bank information in response to an unsolicited e-mail that claimed to be from regulations.gov should notify their credit card company or bank immediately and discuss whether they should cancel those accounts, according to the FTC. Consumers who provided Social Security numbers should contact one of the three credit reporting agencies, ask to have a fraud alert placed on their accounts, and obtain copies of their credit reports to be sure new accounts have not been opened in their names.
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