U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY FRAUD ALERT

Wachovia would like you to be aware of consumer fraud related to the Economic Stimulus Check initiative. Emails and phone calls are being made by fraudsters in attempt to collect your personal and financial information.

Economic Stimulus Check Alert—May 22, 2009
Please be aware of the following scams that have been circulating related to the Economic Stimulus Check initiative:

Rebate Phone Call: In this scam, consumers receive a phone call from someone identifying themselves as an IRS employee. The caller tells the targeted victim that they are eligible for a sizable rebate for filing their taxes early. The caller then states that they need the customer's bank account information in order to directly deposit the rebate. If the customer refuses, they are told that they cannot receive the rebate.
Refund Email Scam: Customer receives an email, which falsely claims to come from the IRS, informing the recipient that he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount, and instructs the recipient to click on a link in the e-mail to access a refund claim form.
Audit Email Scam: Customer receives an email notifying the recipient that his or her tax return will be audited. The customer either clicks on a link or contacts a phone number included in the email. This is the first scam the IRS is aware of that uses this tactic to get the victim to respond.
Tax Law Change Email Scam: The email is addressed to businesses, accountants and "Treasury" managers. It instructs them to download information on tax law changes by clicking on a series of links to publications on businesses, estate taxes, excise taxes, exempt organizations and IRAs and other retirement plans.
Paper Check Phone Call Scam: In a recently documented telephone scam, a caller claims to be an IRS employee who is calling because the IRS sent a check to the customer which has not yet been negotiated. The caller states that because the check has not been cashed, the IRS wants to verify the individual’s bank account number.
Better Business Bureau Rebate Scams: In addition to the above rebate scams, IRS officials are also warning businesses of emails that appear to be complaints forwarded to them by the Better Business Bureau. Businesses receiving such questionable e-mails should contact the local BBB directly and not respond to the email.

Steps to Take to avoid general online scams:

Never respond to emails or click on links from any source that asks to provide, update or verify your personal, account or other confidential information. These could be "phishing" attempts using embedded links to take you to fraudulent Web sites that appear to be legitimate or provide the ability to download malicious spyware to your PC.
Never share your PC or Online Banking password with anyone and do not leave the password anywhere that someone can find it.
When selecting a password, don't use information easily linked to you, such as pet's name, or Social Security Number.
Use a secure internet browser.
Always use up-to-date virus protection software and consider using spyware detection programs.
Use a reliable firewall, especially when using high-speed connection to the Internet, such as DSL or cable.
Do not access bank, brokerage or other financial services information at Internet cafes, public libraries, etc.
If you use a wireless device, be sure to follow manufacturer's instructions on setting up the services with the right implementation and settings to ensure a strong level of security.

Please keep in mind that Wachovia does not:

Send emails regarding account deactivation, system upgrades, or other problems.
Send emails asking you to provide, update or verify your personal, business, account or other confidential information.

What To Do if You Receive a Suspicious Email from Wachovia
If you receive a suspicious email from Wachovia, do not respond to it or click any links within the email. Please forward the suspicious email to abuse@wachovia.com and delete the original email.

When forwarding a suspicious email to us, do not modify the original subject line or content within the email, and please do not include any personal or confidential information such as your checking account, user id/password, credit card, or Social Security numbers.

If you have responded to a suspicious email, please contact Wachovia immediately at (800) WACHOVIA (800-922-4684), 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

At Wachovia we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your banking information. To learn more about how we protect you and how you can protect yourself, please visit the Wachovia Security Plus^SM Customer Center.