Attorney General Philip McLaughlin issued a warning to consumers today about a new and financially dangerous credit card scam being carried out over the internet. This new scam first appears as an email claiming to be from America Online's billing department. The email contains a hyperlink which leads to a World Wide Web site. The web site appears to be an America Online site in that it prominently displays the America Online logo and several links to actual AOL services, but in fact, the page is an elaborate fraud.

The message on the web page warns the consumer that another user is using that consumer's credit card number, and threatens the consumer with prosecution for credit card fraud if the consumer does not immediately supply two valid credit card numbers.

The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office has been in contact with America Online which is aware of this scam, and has been warning its subscribers against the fraud. An AOL representative informed the Attorney General's office that AOL has a policy of never asking for a subscriber's billing information, and that any request for such information by anyone claiming to be from America Online should denied and reported to AOL.

Senior Assistant Attorney General M. Kristin Spath, chief of the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau said "Consumers must be extremely careful when giving out any personal information online. Even a request which appears legitimate may not be, and consumers must be alert." According to Attorney Spath, the only websites which should ask for a credit card number are those sites the consumer voluntarily visits for the purposes of making a purchase of some sort. "If a consumer is asked for a credit card number out of the blue by email or by phone, that consumer should contact the business by telephone or by U.S. mail and verify that the request is legitimate before giving out the information," Attorney Spath advised.