10:44 PM EST on Sunday, December 4, 2005

Louisville -- A warning from the FBI this weekend.

Be on the alert for a particular e-mail that could slow your computer, while junking up your files.

Those who receive the e-mail may believe it's an official notice from the federal government.

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It is a new kind of e-mail virus that makes you think you have done something illegal.

The e-mail begins with a simple introduction.

It goes on to say that montoriting your IP address shows it has been 30 illegal websites. It then wants you to answer some questions in a zip file.

The e-mail is signed by Steve Allison of the FBI.

"We would contact somebody in person," says David Beyer of Louisville FBI.

Download the file attached to the e-mail and a sober worm virus is opened in your computer. It will copy your e-mails files and then send the e-mails to everyone you usually write to.

The problem has gotten so bad in the last two weeks, the FBI put up a warning on its website along with a copy of the bogus e-mail.

Federal officials are certain who every is doing is hoping that your fear of doing something illegal will force you to download this virus.

"Anytime an FBI investigation is conducted an FBI agent would contact you in person and show proper identification which includes a badge," says Beyer. "If you are not contacted by someone that provides proper identification you should not deal with them."

Whoever created the virus is looking at some stiff penalties.

"Representing yourself as an FBI agent is punishable by five years in a federal prison," says Beyer.

Anti Virus protections will handle most of these problems but a good rule of thumb, if you get an e mail from anyone that says you have done something in the last week that you know you haven't done, don't pay attention to that e-mail.