Be aware of two scams circulating in Oregon.

Byline: Ilene Aleshire The Register-Guard

The Oregon Better Business Bureau has issued two warnings for consumers and business owners.

The first concerns e-mails that purport to be from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The e-mail includes instructions to download and open a "personal FDIC insurance file."

Oregon BBB spokeswoman Kyle Kavas has a simple response: "Don't do it."

Hackers are trying to trick people into downloading a file containing spyware or a virus, she said, or are trying to get access to your banking account or steal your identity.

The subject line of the fraudulent e-mails says "Check your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage," she said. The e-mail itself says: "You have received this message because you are a holder of a FDIC-insured bank account. Recently FDIC has officially named the bank you have opened your account with as a failed bank, thus, taking control of its assets."

It also tells recipients to click on a link in the e-mail taking you to what is allegedly the official FDIC Web site. But, if users do click on the link, Kavas said, it takes them to a Web site that could infect computers with viruses and other harmful files.

If you receive one of these e-mails, Kavas said, do not click on the link or open any attachments. Instead, forward it to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section at [e-mail].

The BBB's second alert concerns phone scams targeting restaurants, auto-repair shops and other businesses.

The BBB has received numerous complaints in recent months from Oregon, Alaska and Western Washington about scammers misusing the Telecommunications Relay Services that assists people who are deaf or who have trouble hearing or speaking. The service uses an operator to relay typed messages from the caller to another party, in this case a business.

Kavas said scammers are using the relay service to order something from a company. The caller then says the delivery company they use won't take credit cards and asks the business to wire money to the shipper and add that amount to the "customer's" order, which will be charged to the "customer's" - actually a scammer's - credit card. If the business does wire money, it goes to the con artist and the charges end up on a stolen credit card, Kavas said.

Kavas says businesses should be wary of callers who are not willing to provide basic information. You should take notes during the conversation and write down anything that sounds suspicious, she said. You should also confirm with the bank that the cardholder's information matches, and ask for the credit card's three or four-digit card verification code.

And, Kavas said, "Deny all requests to wire or forward money, period."