Phishers, Virus Writers Exploit Global Financial Crisis

Security experts and the federal government are warning that scam artists are leveraging public concern over the global financial crisis to steal sensitive financial data and spread malicious software.

In an alert posted Thursday, the Federal Trade Commission urged Internet users to be on guard against e-mails that look as if they come from a financial institution that recently acquired a consumer's bank, savings and loan, or mortgage. "In fact, these messages may be from.