Scammers are capitalizing on Minnesota's connection to the Old Country to steal from Swedish citizens. And they're using Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson's name to do it.

Swanson's office is warning about an e-mail that says the recipient has inherited money or property from a long-lost relative in Minnesota. The e-mails are written in Swedish and claim to be from Attorney General Swanson, but they direct the potential victim to call a number in the United Kingdom. The e-mails also sometimes claim to be from the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

Ben Wogsland, a spokesman for Swanson's office, said the e-mails are made more believable because of the attorney general's Scandinavian last name.

"People in Sweden know there's a large population here," he said. "There are relatives that travel back and forth quite a bit."

If you or a Swedish relative has received one of the e-mails, contact the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at 612-376-3200 or visit www.IC3.gov.

Where are your flowers coming from?

Before you buy your spouse a dozen roses for Valentine's Day, make sure you know whether you're using a legitimate florist. The Federal Trade Commission wants consumers to be aware of some businesses that might try to capitalize on the upcoming holiday. Some telemarketing companies are taking out ads or listings in the phone book under names and phone numbers that make them sound like local companies, the FTC said. Customers wound up with higher-than-expected credit card charges and no flowers or flower orders that weren't correct. The telemarketers sometimes forward the orders to local florists, but they use the scheme to collect processing fees and pocket a portion of the sale.

The FTC said consumers should always ask for the street address of a florist and ask the business to itemize the charges. If you don't receive your arrangement, dispute the charges with your credit card provider or think about sending chocolate next time. The FTC accepts consumer complaints at ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP.

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