Beware of e-mail news alerts -- Storm Worm might be lurking inside

The pitch: "CNN.com Daily Top 10" or "My MSNBC Alert"

The scam: As reported on Snopes.com, a website that tracks scams and urban legends, recent spam e-mails have been going out with subject lines that appear to be about breaking news from cable television networks CNN or MSNBC. Inside the e-mails are links to what appear to be news stories.

The reality: Clicking on a link in these e-mails leads to a Web page that downloads the Storm Worm, a virus that allows someone to gain remote access to your computer, often to aid in the spreading of spam e-mails or even identity theft. The FBI reports that another recent e-mail that attempts to spread the Storm Worm has the subject line "F.B.I. vs. Facebook."

The advice: Be wary of unsolicited e-mails. If you open one, do not click on links inside.

Info: For updates on the Storm Worm and other e-mail scams, see the FBI's cyber investigations page at www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/ escams.htm.

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David Colker