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[June 30, 2009]

BRIEF: Sutter DA warns of Jackson e-mail scam

Jun 30, 2009 (Appeal-Democrat - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Internet scammers taking advantage of singer Michael Jackson's death picked the wrong target in Sutter County District Attorney Carl Adams.

After receiving what he called a spam e-mail, Adams on Tuesday warned residents to be wary of e-mails advertising photos of Jackson in death, lost recordings or secret information about the singer.

Clicking on a link in such an e-mail could lead to the theft of a computer owner's password, allowing the scammer to log on and steal financial information, or to computer damage, said Adams.

"There's been a real increase in the last three or four months of financial fraud" on the Internet, the Jackson e-mails being the latest example, Adams said.

Adams said the e-mail he received purported to advertise a never-released Jackson video.

"It's happened a number of times" around the country, Adams said, and he anticipates the e-mails showing up here. No complaints have yet been received by his office, he said.

Not being a fan of Jackson -- and being a friend of the district attorney who prosecuted Jackson for alleged child molestation -- he did not bite, said Adams.

"I did not click on the link," he said.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.

To see more of the Appeal-Democrat, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.appeal-democrat.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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