Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Have you received an email from Robert S. Mueller at the FBI , telling you that
"you presently have a transaction going on with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as regard to your over-due contract payment";
then telling you to contact
"MR.SANUSI LAMIDO", in Nigeria, using a free Gmail account (cbn.dept@gmail.com )?
It is a scam. The FBI will never, never email you unless you first contact them. They WILL NOT EVER email you to tell you you owe money or are due to receive a refund; or for any other reason. Count on it. And the FBI, a branch of the United States government, certainly wouldn't be telling you to contact someone in Nigeria!
No government agency we know of, anywhere in the civilized world, contacts ANYONE by email first. Look at the email address (it's an AOL account!)) to which you are to respond: it is not even a government address.
If you hold your mouse over the link in the email you received, you would see that it does NOT go to FBI, but instead to a page on another website, which is clearly operating a scam and a fraud. We neutered the link in case it harbors a virus.
This is a simple AFF - scam - a some point, you will be asked to send money via Western Union (or "wore transfer") to cover fees, taxes, or whatever excuse they can think of that you might believe.
If you would like a step by step explanation of how a typical "Advance Fee Fraud" works, click here!
January 6, 2010, CFR received the following email:
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
FBI.WASHINGTON D.C
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 6:33 PM
From: "Robert S. Mueller" <robmull812@aol.com>
ROBERT MUELLER III
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FBI FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
FBI.WASHINGTON D.C FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
SEEKING TO WIRETAP INTERNET
Attention: Beneficiary,
We believe this notification meet you in a very good present state of mind and health. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Washington, D.C in conjunction with some other relevant Investigations 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 regard 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 facet 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 corresponden
In addition, also be informed that we recently had a meeting with the Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, in the person of Mr Sanusi Lamido and Mr. Paul Jones 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 documentations evidencing your claim purported to have been signed personally by you prior to the release of your contract fund valued at about US$8,000,000.00 (Eight million united states dollars),and as soon as i have received an immediate
We was further informed 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 in case, 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 information accordingly:
NAME: MR.SANUSI LAMIDO
OFFICE ADDRESS: Central Bank of Nigeria,
Central Business District,
Cadastral Zone, Abuja, Federal
Capital Territory, Nigeria.
Email: cbn.dept@gmail.com
NOTE: In your best interest, any message that doesn't come from the above email address and phone number should not be replied to and should be disregarded accordingly for security reasons. Meanwhile, we will advise that you contact the Governor of the Central Bank 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. To this effect, you are required to reconfirm and authenticate your given particulars below for certainty and onward processing and release of you funds as we may not be held liable for any wrong payment.
FULL NAMES: __________________________________
CITY: _________________________
STATE: __________________________________
ZIP: ______________
COUNTRY________________________________
SEX: _______________
AGE: __________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER: _____________________
Ensure you follow all their procedure as may be required by them as that will further help hasten up the whole procedures as regard to the transfer of your fund to you as designated. Also have in mind that the Central Bank of Nigeria equally has 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 information 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, we 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 information in regard to this notification, feel free to get back to us on this email 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 anticipated 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
E-mail: robmull812@aol.com
Clearly, this email and it's associated website is criminal activity intended to steal your money!
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.
If you receive an unsolicited e-mail purporting to be from FBI, take the following steps:
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!
If you receive a suspicious e-mail that claims to come from:
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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