WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI says the amount of money swindled by Internet frauds doubled last year to about $560 million.
The FBI, in partnership with a private fraud-fighting group, reports that complaints of Internet scams rose 22 percent in 2009.
The most frequently reported scams were those that falsely used the FBI's name, accounting for 16 percent of the more than 300,000 complaints received last year. Authorities say another scam involved messages with a voice similar to President Barack Obama's, urging people to visit a Web site to claim a share of government stimulus cash. Visitors are charged a fee, and no money is ever received.
