FBI investigation - scam or real thing?
I’ve just received a phone call from a guy who claimed he is FBI agent. He said that my email server has been compromised over a year ago and used in crime activity. Then he started to ask some very detailed questions (like if it’s company server, if this server is used in government related activity, what type of software is on the server). Despite I’m quite knowledgeable person regarding my servers and I’d rather notice it being compromised, detailed nature of those question made me suspicious.
Why would he ask such detailed questions over the phone? And why is he asking about informations he could easily get by himself just from using Google and web browser? There is more - he reached me under the number which is not listed anywhere in connection with my domain - so he apparently didn’t even used whois service.
Considering all that I asked him why does he need all those informations? He replied that he’s trying to build a case and he wants to check if I was a victim (my server was compromised and used in some illegal activity without my knowledge) or if I was taking active part in this activity. Wait a minute - since when FBI agents call you in advance telling you that they are thinking about building case against you? So I kindly replied to him that I’d be more then glad to give him all those information in person as it’s apparently a big case. And here even bigger surprise was waiting for me - he said that Iowa is to far away from him and he hung up.
Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to get his name or town from which he’s calling. Whole call lasted less than 2 minutes and my thinking in English is still to slow to quickly react. But I suspect that all those questions were leading to some identity theft attempt.
The only thing that’s bugging me - how did he get this phone number?
Technorati Tags: phone call, FBI, agent, identity theft
