Psst, want to see photos of bin Laden's body?
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The FBI warns against clicking links that promise pictures or video, as you may end up with collateral damage.
This article has been updated from its original version to include word from the White House about releasing photos.
President Barack Obama says he won't release photos of Osama bin Laden's body, and the FBI is warning people not to be fooled by e-mail messages that promise the images.
The bureau’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) said links in e-mail messages that claim to show photos or videos of the May 1 raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where bin Laden was killed, likely contain malware that could compromise users’ computers, embedding itself into contact lists and eventually infecting the systems of others.
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IC3 advised people not to open unsolicited e-mail messages, and to be cautious even of messages that seem to come from someone you know.
The center also warned users to increase the privacy settings on social media sites they use.
Since bin Laden’s death at the hands of a team of Navy SEALs, administration officials had debated whether to release photos taken at the scene. The White House has described the photos as “gruesome” and expressed concern about the reaction they might incite among bin Laden’s supporters. On the other hand, the photos could confirm to the public that bin Laden was killed.
CIA Director Leon Panetta had said it’s likely the photos will be released eventually, although he pointed out that the decision is up to the White House, according to a report in the Washington Post.
He added that “I don’t think you have to convince the world because of the DNA and all of the other proof that we have.”
But since then, Obama told "60 Minutes" that he would not release a photo, according to an Associated Press article.
Despite the evidence, speculation that bin Laden is still alive has run rampant among conspiracy theorists since the news of bin Laden’s death broke, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Meanwhile, the IC3 is advising computer users to:
- Adjust the privacy settings on social networking sites to make it more difficult for people you know, or do not know, to post content to your page. Even a “friend” can unknowingly pass on multimedia that’s actually malicious software.
- Do not agree to download software to view videos. These applications can infect your computer.
- Read messages you receive carefully. Fraudulent messages often feature misspellings, poor grammar, and nonstandard English.
- Report messages you receive that purport to be from the FBI. Criminals often use the FBI’s name and seal to add legitimacy to their fraudulent schemes. In fact, the FBI does not send unsolicited e-mail messages to the public. Should you receive unsolicited messages that feature the FBI’s name, seal, or that reference a division or unit in the FBI or an individual employee, report it to the IC3's Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
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