AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)-An email scam using the photograph and Web site banner of the Texas attorney general office is targeting consumers, his office said Thursday.

The fraudulent e-mail message is given the false appearance of legitimacy because it is adorned with the agency's online logo and an image of Attorney General Greg Abbott.

The e-mail reads in part:

Attn: [Recipient Name],
This is the office of the attorney general of Texas we are using this private email box to contact you for our security reasons because a lot is going on now and so many of our citizen wish to hear from this office daily but we have choose this medium to attend to our good citizen.
[Recipient Name], we wish to inform you that your transaction with the United Nations concerning your package that is on hold now is a legitimate transaction and you must try and see you provide all that is been requested for the security of this great country.

Like other scams that appear to come from legitimate banks, financial institutions and government entities, the aim of culprits is to gain sensitive personal information of the intended recipient, officials said.

Abbot's office warned that activating Web links that appear in unexpected e-mails may direct users to fraudulent Web sites or allow identity thieves to capture users' personal information.

From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo by e-mail at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.