Scammers are now faking the FBI's own website - here's how to stay safe

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ZDNET's key takeaways

• The FBI says spoofed websites masquerading as the IC3 have appeared.
• Spoofed websites impersonate well-known services to steal your data.
• FBI warns visitors to remain vigilant against suspicious URLs and incorrect website addresses.

The FBI is warning the public that its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) website is being spoofed by scammers online. 

In a public service announcement (PSA) alert published on September 19, the FBI said that cybercriminals are spoofing the IC3, and fraudulent versions of the government website have been detected by US law enforcement. 

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"A spoofed website is designed to impersonate a legitimate website and may be used for illegal conduct, such as personal information theft and to facilitate monetary scams ...