UK investigates huge spam attack on bank customers' computers

RANSOM DEMANDS: Cybercrime investigators are looking into a barrage of spam sent to millions of British banking customers designed to freeze their computers and demand a ransom, Britain's National Crime Agency said. — Reuters

Cybercrime investigators are looking into a barrage of spam sent to millions of British banking customers designed to freeze their computers and demand a ransom, Britain's National Crime Agency said on Friday. 

The agency, which began operating only last month, said its National Cyber Crime Unit had become "aware of a mass e-mail spamming event which is ongoing, where people are receiving e-mails that appear to be from banks and other financial institutions."