FBI E-Mail Alerts Service Reaches Key Milestones

Earlier this month, an FBI service that sends out e-mail alerts when breaking news and information is posted on its national and local Internet websites reached two key milestones: more than 50,000 subscribers and more than 10 million total e-mails sent to date.

The service was launched last October to improve public safety and law enforcement partnerships by sending updates on terrorist threats, missing kids, wanted fugitives, emerging scams, major cases, and other topics directly to the personal computers, laptops, or wireless devices of subscribers.

“These alerts give us the ability to communicate quickly and directly with the news media, law enforcement, and the public when there is breaking news or a crisis,” said John Miller, Assistant Director of the Office of Public Affairs. “In at least one case, an e-mail alert led to publicity that helped capture a wanted fugitive. That’s the power of this service—by keeping the public and our partners better informed, we’re better able to solve crimes and prevent terrorist attacks.”

Signing up is easy. Just click on the red envelope icons found on the FBI’s main website at http://www.fbi.gov and on the websites of its 56 field offices nationwide. No personal information is required, just an e-mail address where the alerts will be sent. Subscribers select which topics that they want updates on, such as new e-scams and warnings, most wanted terrorists, top ten fugitives, and national and local press releases. The alerts are sent as soon as updates are posted on the FBI website or in daily, weekly, or monthly digests.

Through its website, the FBI provides two other features to increase the number of options for receiving news and updates: RSS (Really Simple Syndication) news feeds for press releases, top stories, and other breaking news (see http://www.fbi.gov/rss.htm); and web modules that can be added to websites and blogs (see http://www.fbi.gov/widgets.htm).

The FBI website, which is visited by millions of people from around the world each month, has been an important public safety and communications tool for more than a decade. On the site, you can report crime, help find fugitives and missing persons, apply for a job, request FBI records, get tips on how to “be crime smart,” and learn how to do business with the Bureau.

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