Criminals never stop coming up with new ways to mess you up via the Internet, so we've decided it's time for an update -- this time focusing on specific e-mails to watch out for (that is, if you want to avoid everything from garden variety financial scams and computer viruses to flat-out ID theft). As always, remember there are variations on each of these cons, so be wary of anything even resembling what you read in the following.

F.B.I vs Facebook

Yes, there are more important matters to worry about than Facebook's recent redesign-- namely, an e-mail with a message that says "F.B.I. vs. Facebook," which includes the above picture and has a link to download the Storm Worm botnet, that nasty piece of malware that connects infected computers and uses them for identity theft and spam. Make sure not to open any e-mail with this subject and make sure to delete it immediately. If you do accidentally open this e-mail, don't click on any lnks within it and delete it immediately. Lastly, before you open another e-mail, make sure you have some sort of anti-virus software installed.

CNN and MSNBC Alerts

Rather than stick with sensational headlines, swindlers are now manufacturing fake custom alerts from CNN and MSNBC that looks pretty legit at first glance. The subject line, as you can see from the screenshot above, says "CNN Alerts: My Custom Alert." If you click on "Full story," you'll be taken to a video player that tells you to download Adobe Flash, but instead turns out to be malware. The easiest solution is to delete it without opening it, but MXLab's Web site has more information on dealing with this nasty bit of e-mail.

The Hitman

We told you about the Hitman scheme a while back, but unfortunately, this old con is still going on, only with slight differences. The FBI sent out another warning a month ago, saying that now recipients are being threatened with kidnapping (instead of just killing), and that the new e-mails contain more personal information that fool some people into thinking it's a valid threat. The best solution to this e-mail? Just ignore it, but the FBI also encourages people to report any threatening messages they receive, which you can do via the FBI's Internet Crime Center.

Hurricanne Charities

Sadly, disasters encourage scammers to prey on the charitable. Naturally, recent hurricanes Ike and Gustav spawned dozens of fake e-mails designed to rip you off. Pretty much every standard scheme has been repurposed for these storms.

Nigerian Scam, Take 2

Just like an extra lame sequel, another Nigerian scam is making the rounds, only this time it's using the first wave of 419 crimes to lure victims. This time, a Nigerian attorney claims to have large settlements for people defrauded by scammers, accessible once people send in $675 and some personal information. Surprise – it's fake.

Cheaper Gas

Once again, scammers are going for what's in the news and people's innate desire to save some bucks by highlighting gas prices in spam e-mails. Either they're offering gas cards with locked in rates around $2.50 a gallon or they're hawking gizmos that increase your mileage. Just don't believe it, ok?