Warning out vs 'Mrs. Gaddafi' email scam

The continued uncertainty in Libya has given rise to a new email scam where the perpetrators claim to be the wife of beleaguered Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. Computer security firm Sophos said the new email scam involves "Mrs. Gaddafi" offering $40 million for safekeeping. "Don’t open attachments from unknown people, even if they are famous. The standard logic applies here. No one will email you because they have too much money and need your assistance," Sophos warned in a blog post. It said one such email listed Safia Farkash al-Baraasi, the second wife of Gaddafi, as the sender. The message would instruct the recipient to open the attached Microsoft Word document, which in turn asked for the recipient's name, address, age, occupation and cell phone number. "The attached Microsoft Word document follows the tried-and-true formula of Nigerian 419 scams. While the story was well-researched, it appears to have been based on news reports from May suggesting Mrs. Gaddafi had 20 tons of gold hidden away," the Sophos advisory said. Sophos said the email it received even indicated the sender used Google's Gmail. "As you may be aware that my husband is presently facing a difficulties in Libya," it quoted part of the letter as saying. — RSJ, GMA News