The FBI is warning Iowans about an email scam. Public Affairs Officer Huston Pullen, with the FBI office in Omaha, says the messages threaten harm to the email recipient and their family.
Pullen says Iowans who receive such an email should report it to the agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at the website: IC3.gov .
“Whenever somebody gets something where it’s threatening to hurt them or hurt loved ones, that’s definitely when red flags will go up,” Pullen says. “We take these matters very seriously and want to make sure people know they can do something about it. That’s why we have our IC3.gov set up.”
The email message being sent to Iowans demands they obtain and pay in bitcoin to avoid harm to themselves and their family. Pullen says the FBI has determined there is no threat or validity to these emails and Iowans who get such an email shouldn’t panic and definitely shouldn’t respond to the sender.
“One of the things they’ll prey on is your trust,” Pullen says. “A lot of these scam emails prey on your lack of knowledge.” Instead of responding, Pullen says it’s critical to report the email to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov).
“So, we can look at them, check the validity of them, and properly handle the situation to make sure you’re safe,” Pullen says. “That’s our number one priority – making sure you and your loved ones are safe and this is not something you need to be concerned with.” In addition to Iowa, Pullen says the scam emails are surfacing across Nebraska.
(Thanks to Karla James, Omaha)