Internet con men appear to be targeting victims of the Bernard Madoff scandal.
The Securities Investor Protection Corporation warned Tuesday that someone had set up a bogus Web site in an attempt to trick Madoff victims into turning over confidential financial information.
The site mimics the legitimate one set up by SIPC, with the same green banner at the top and other similar design features.
It purports to be from a group called the International Securities Investor Protection Corporation. It offers victims a chance to apply for $1.3 billion in cash recovered from a Madoff "hideout."
The group claims to be based in Geneva, Switzerland, but records show the site to be registered to an address in Lagos, Nigeria.
SIPC said it is trying to have the site shut down.
But while scam artists like these may target web users in such scams, New Yorkers can take solace in the fact that they're among the least likely to fall for cons.
New federal statistics show scam artists suckered more than 1.3 million customers across the U.S., but New York didn't even make the list of top 50 cities for complaints.
Web Scam Targets Madoff Victims
As if they haven't been burned badly enough already ...
Copyright AP - Associated Press
