
The messages, addressed "Dear Citizen," assert that the recipients, or their businesses, are the subject of complaints filed with the DOJ and the Internal Revenue Service, according to a DOJ advisory. In addition, the emails provide case numbers and state that the complaint was "filed [sic] by Mr. Henry Stewart."
The DOJ also revealed that its logo may appear at the top of the email message or in an attached file, and that the message may include a supposed copy of the complaint and contact information for Stewart.
"Criminals are increasingly using U.S. government brands to trick consumers into phishing and malware scams," said Avivah Litan, a Gartner analyst. "It just validates their disdain, contempt and scorn for Americans.
If you check out the criminal chat rooms and message boards, you will note a general theme of making Americans out to be totally naïve idiots while beating (scammers') own chests for being able to out-manipulate and scam the US population."
The DOJ warned that recipients should be wary of unsolicited warning messages that purport to come from government agencies. Several other government entities - the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS - have been the source of similar hoaxes, it said.
Double-clicking on attachments could place malicious software, such as a virus or keystroke logger, on recipients' PCs, according to the Justice Department.
"These criminals are motivated not only by financial gain but also by a perverse political and fanatic psychology, which makes them all the more dangerous," said Litan.
The Department of Justice offers websites with information on spyware at http://onguardonline.gov/spyware.html and phishing http://onguardonline.gov/phishing.html.