Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Below is another version of the scam email, purporting to be from Robert Swan Meuller III (or any other name) at the FBI, instructing you to carry through any financial transaction. You can see the original version of the scam here. The FBI investigates crimes, they do NOT engage in financial transaction, especially with African nation. For those of you who have forgotten (or were asleep during) your high school government class, let us remind you that the FBI is a domestic agency, and as such has no legal authority to advise citizens about banking in Africa.
In general, notice the 5th grade writing level of the letter and the absurd phrases. It sounds like a couple of uneducated idiot criminals in Africa wrote it. And that would be because they did.
The FBI themselves have posted this on their website:
AN INCREASE IN INTERNET SCHEMES PURPORTEDLY FROM THE FBI
07/17/07 We have increasingly received reports of fraudulent schemes misrepresenting the FBI and Director Robert S. Mueller III. The e-mails may include pictures of the FBI Director, the seal, letter head, and banners. The letters may also claim to come from domestic or foreign FBI offices.
Most of the schemes that use the Director's name or refer to the FBI are lottery endorsements and inheritance notifications. They also include threat and extortion e-mails, website monitoring containing malicious computer program attachments (malware), and online auction scams.
Beware of any unsolicited e-mail referencing the FBI, Director Mueller or any other FBI official endorsing any type of Internet activity.
Fraudsters pretending to be from the FBI-which is an old trick-hope to cash in by intimidating their victims.
If you have experienced this situation please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov .
December 23, 2007, CFR received the following email:
From: "FBI ROBERT SWAN MUELLER@mail.pop.co.th" < FBI ROBERT SWAN MUELLER@mail.pop.co.th >
To: .@pop.co.th
Sent: Friday, February 15, 2008 11:10:07 PM
Subject: RE: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SEEKING TO WIRETAP THE INTERNET
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001, USA
RE: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SEEKING TO WIRETAP THE INTERNET
We the Federal bureau of investigation (FBI) Washington, DC in conjunction
with some other relevant Investigation Agencies here in the United states
of America have recently been informed through our Global intelligence
monitoring network that you presently have a transaction going on with the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as regards to your over-due contract payment
which was fully endorsed in your favor accordingly.
It might interest you to know that we have taken out time in screening
through this project as stipulated on our protocol of operation and have
finally confirmed that your contract payment is 100% genuine and hitch
free from all fact and of which you have the lawful right to claim your
fund without any further delay.
Having said all this, we will further advise that you go ahead in dealing
with the Central Bank office accordingly, as we will be monitoring all
their services with you as well as your correspondence at all level.
In addendum, also be informed that we recently had a meeting with the
Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, in the person of
Prof.Charles Chukwuma Soludo along with some of the top officials of the
Ministry regarding your case and they made us to understand that your file
has been held in abase depending on when you personally come for the
claim.
They also told us that the only problem they are facing right now is that
some unscrupulous element are using this project as an avenue to scam
innocent people off their hard earned money by impersonating the Executive
Governor and the Central Bank office.
We were also made to understand that a lady with name Mrs. Joan C. Bailey
from OHIO has already contacted them and also presented to them all the
necessary documentationʼs evidencing your claim purported to have been
signed personally by you prior to the release of your contract fund valued
at about US$12,500,000.00 (Twelve Million Five Hundred Thousand United
States Dollars.), but the Central Bank office did the wise thing by
insisting on hearing from you personally before the go ahead on wiring
your fund to the Bank informationʼs which was forwarded to them by the
above named Lady so that was the main reason why they contacted us so as
to assist them in making the investigations.
They further informed us that we should warn our dear citizens who must
have been informed of the contract payment which was awarded to them from
the Central Bank of Nigeria, to be very careful prior to this
irregularities so that they don't fall victim to this ugly circumstance.
And should incase you are already dealing with anybody or office claiming
to be from the Central Bank of Nigeria, you are further advised to STOP
further contact with them in your best interest and then contact
immediately the real office of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) only with
the below informationʼs accordingly:
NAME: REVR.DANIEL WALCOURT
OFFICE ADDRESS: Central Bank of Nigeria,
Central Business District,
Cadastral Zone,
Abuja, Federal Capital Territory,
Nigeria.
TEL: +234-70-23020173
+234-70-38587895
Email: telex.remittance_department@centbnk-ng.org
NOTE: In your best interest, any message that doesn't come from the above
official email address and phone numbers should not be replied to and
should be disregarded accordingly for security reasons.
Meanwhile, we will advise that you contact the Central Bank office
immediately with the above email address and request that they attend to
your payment file as directed so as to enable you receive your contract
fund accordingly.
Ensure you follow all their procedure as may be required by them as that
will further help hasten up the whole procedures as regards to the
transfer of your fund to you as designated.
Also have in mind that the Central Bank of Nigeria equally have their own
protocol of operation as stipulated on their banking terms, so delay could
be very dangerous.
Once again, we will advise that you contact them with the above email
address and make sure you forward to them all the necessary informationʼs
which they may require from you prior to the release of your fund to you
accordingly.
All modalities has already been worked out even before you were contacted
and note that we will be monitoring all your dealings with them as you
proceed so you don't have anything to worry about.
All we require from you henceforth is an update so as to enable us be on
track with you and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Without wasting much time,will want you to contact them immediately with
the above email address so as to enable them attend to your case
accordingly without any further delay as time is already running out.
Should in case you need any more informationʼs in regards to this
notification, feel free to get back to us so that we can brief you more as
we are here to guide you during and after this project has been completely
perfected and you have received your contract fund as stated.
Thank you very much for your co-operation in advance as we earnestly await
your urgent response to this matter.
Best Regards,
Robert S. Mueller III
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001, USA
If you receive a call from this number or any group that claims to represent a government agency, take down their information, including the contact's name, phone number, etc. Do NOT give them any personal or financial information, especially not a credit card, checking or bank account number, passport number, etc.
Next, look up the direct phone or email address for the agency they claim to represent and call them. Read them the email and ask if it could have come from their agency.
While we don't want to encourage people to ignore correspondence from legal government agencies, it is a safe bet that NO U.S. government agency will make any first contact with you by email. Certainly not the FBI or IRS.
And please let us know about any suspicious calls or emails you receive. We look for patterns so that we can alert the authorities and victims to new scams, before it is too late!
Please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov .
U.S. Secret ServicePhone: (202) 435-5850 Fax: (202) 435-5031 Or contact the local U.S. Secret Service Field Office.
Financial Crimes Division
1800 G Street, NW
Room 942
Washington, DC 20223
Contact the Foreign Commercial Service (FSC) at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. If there is no FCS office, contact the American Citizens Services Unit of the Consular Section or the Regional Security Office.
For a comprehensive list of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.
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