E-mail con artists use fraudulent FedEx pitch

TRIAD, Mar 19, 2008 (High Point Enterprise - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- FDX | news | PowerRating | PR Charts -- FedEx Corp. wants people to know that a recent e-mail solicitation for money circulating in cyberspace absolutely, positively is a scam.

The e-mail, which has shown up in the High Point area, claims that someone from FedEx is trying to arrange shipment of a bank draft worth $9 million. But the con artist indicates in the e-mail that the customer has to pay $488 to the supposed FedEx delivery department "for the securitykeeping fee." The e-mail attempts to make the solicitation look legitimate, including a fraudulent FedEx copyright notation and reference to the FedEx online managementteam. But the e-mail is an example of a practice by con artists to use the good names of companies to try to rip off consumers.

Companies, government agencies and nonprofit groups often have their names and logos used by con artists trying to convince unsuspecting people that they are legitimate, said PaulineMorrison, president of the Better Business Bureau of Central North Carolina. "Our best advice is, if you get an e-mail like that, when in doubt, delete," she said.

FedEx suggests customers be suspiciousofanye-mailthatcontains tracking information on a package not ordered by them.

"Be wary of e-mails that ask them to log into another site by clicking on a link or an attachment within the e-mail. Customers should call 1-800-Go-FedEx if they have any concerns about the legitimacy of any e-mail or package that seems suspicious," said Jim McCluskey, FedEx spokesman at the corporate headquarters in Memphis.

The corporation works with authorities worldwide to stamp out illegal activities linked to FedEx's name, McCluskey said.

"People have to be very careful and realize there are a lot of illegal, fraudulent activities that occur on an ongoing basis. But we would not have a program such as that. Any scam that comes out and seeks a payment in order to receive a bigger payment should automatically send up flags,"McCluskey said.

pjohnson@hpe.com -- 888-3528

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