An email claiming to be from the FDIC is making the rounds on the internet. It supposedly contains a “personal FDIC insurance file” that is really some sort of badness that will ruin your day. Do not click.

The FDIC says:

Currently, the subject line of the fraudulent e-mails includes the wording “check your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage.” The e-mails state: “You have received this message because you are a holder of a FDIC-insured bank account. Recently FDIC has officially named the bank you have opened your account with as a failed bank, thus, taking control of its assets.”

The e-mails ask recipients to “visit the official FDIC website” by clicking on a hyperlink provided, which appears to be related to the FDIC and directs recipients to a fraudulent Web site. The Web site includes hyperlinks that appear to open forms. However, it is believed that clicking on the hyperlinks will cause an unknown executable file to be downloaded.

If your bank really does fail, the FDIC doesn’t email you. In fact, they try to keep you out of it as much as possible.

For a look at how the FDIC deals with failed banks, check out this 60 Minutes story.

Fraudulent E-Mails Claiming to Be From the FDIC [FDIC]

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