WASHINGTON – The Olympics aren’t even over and an email scam has surfaced, posing as a video detailing a scandal on the U.S. gymnastics team.

The email says gold medalist Gabby Douglas is facing a lifetime ban and that she has been provisionally suspended. Neither of those things is true.

It also says you can see the details by clicking a link to watch a video on YouTube.

Naked Security from Sophos reports the link takes viewers to a YouTube look-alike site that runs some malicious code and asks users to download a plug-in that’s actually a virus.

To protect yourself, avoid clicking links in messages from people you don’t know and in unsolicited emails. For Olympics news, visiting an official news website may be a safer bet.

WTOP’s Max Smith contributed to this report. Follow Max and WTOP on Twitter.

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