“National Do Not Email Registry” a Hoax

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a warning to Internet users: Do not submit e-mail addresses or any personal information to any site claiming to be a “National Do Not E-mail Registry.”

Unsolicited commercial e-mail--commonly referred to as spam--is choking inboxes and frustrating computer users worldwide. In a desperate attempt to curb the deluge of spam, many consumers have fallen victim to a bogus site that mimics the language, look, and navigation of the Web site for the popular National Do Not Call Registry, which has more than 58 million subscribers.

The FTC is concerned that the “unsub.us” site could be part of a high-tech scam that uses a deceptive Web site to trick consumers into disclosing sensitive personal information. The site may be a trick to collect valid e-mail addresses to sell to spammers. Worse, the information collected from unsuspecting subscribers may be used to commit identity theft.

If you get an e-mail claiming to represent the “Do Not E-mail Registry,” an organization to stop spam, or even the FTC itself, report it to the FTC at www.ftc.gov or call 877-FTC-HELP [382-4357]. Although the FTC is studying the feasibility of a national registry, no legitimate e-mail registry exists at this time.