A fake email claiming to be from the Federal Bureau of Investigations containing an attached virus is making the rounds through various email inboxes.

The FBI has responded by posting a warning on their web site, advising users not to open the attachment. They discovered the scam this weekend when swamped with numerous reports detailing the email.

The warning states:

These e-mails did not come from the FBI. Recipients of this or similar solicitations should know that the FBI does not engage in the practice of sending unsolicited e-mails to the public in this manner.

Opening e-mail attachments from an unknown sender is a risky and dangerous endeavor as such attachments frequently contain viruses that can infect the recipient’s computer. The FBI strongly encourages computer users not to open such attachments.

If you’ve received one of these mailings, the FBI suggests reporting them to the Internet Crime Complaint Center by visiting http://www.ic3.gov.

Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest search news.