FBI Warns of Mining Accident E-Mail Scam

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations is warning Internet users to be on the look out for a fraudulent e-mail soliciting money for a survivor of a mine accident in West Virginia last week.

The e-mail purports to be written by a doctor at the hospital where the miner is being treated and describes the condition of the survivor and the financial assistance that is needed for a full recovery.

The accident cost the lives of 12 miners and there was just one survivor. He is still hospitalized and in partial coma, according to news reports.

Rescue attempts were heavily covered by U.S. media and the story stayed in the news spotlight for several days partly because initial reports of survivors turned out to be incorrect.

Under Investigation

"The FBI takes these matters seriously and is working with other law enforcement and private industry partners to identify the person(s) responsible," the agency says in a statement.

"Anyone who has received an e-mail of this nature is asked to contact the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) via the Web site at www.ic3.gov," the statement says.

The bureau also repeated its standard advice to refrain from opening or responding to unsolicited e-mails and to verify thoroughly any requests for money or personal information received via e-mail before responding.