Fake Government Agencies
FBI Scams - Robert Swan Meuller III
Version 3 of this scam
Below is yet 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.Also, notice that the reply email addresses are free accounts, not real government accounts (which, of course, would have a .gov domain)
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 .
Sample Scam FBI Email:
January 5, 2009, CFR received the following email:
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI.WASHINGTON DC.
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM,7367
J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20535,
RE: FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SEEKING TO WIRETAP THE INTERNET
SUBJECT: IMMEDIATE ORDER/ DIRECTIVE OF YOUʼRE PAYMENT RELEASE.
This is to inform you that after a crucial meeting headed today Monday being 5th of January 2009 regarding your contract payment that has been dully approved by Federal Government of Nigeria, which will be paid to you through Central Bank of Nigeria, the only mandated / authorized bank to pay all certified contractors that executed contract with federal Government of Nigeria.
Subsequent to the above statement you are hereby advised to contact
Rev. Robert Backus,
Director, International Remittance Dept
Central Bank of Nigeria on his Direct Telephone Number:
+234-70-869-020-91
Email: bantransfer_dptcentralbnk2@live.com <mailto:bantransfer_dptcentralbnk2@live.com>
Contact Rev Robert Backus Immediately you received this latter and forward the below information to him to avoid any transfer mistake, so that he will transfer your fund directly to your bank and dispatches the transfer documents without any more delay.
Your Full Name:..............
Direct Telephone Number:......
Mobile Number: ..............
Present Occupation: .........
Scan Copy of Your Identity: .........
Meanwhile,be informed to send to him $US1,350.00 to enable him dispatches the transfer documents that will enable you clear the fund from your bank as the bonfire beneficiary.
Finally,if you disregard to this advice by any means,you will have yourself to blame and the Federal Government of Nigeria will not be hold responsible for any diversion of your fund.
Please be informed that this week is the final week of remittanceTreat urgent.Should in case you need any more information in regards to this notification feel free to get back to us vian 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 valued $10,500,000.00 (Ten Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
Thank you very much for your anticipated co-operation.
Best Regards,
MR.ROBERT SWAN MUELLER III
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM,7367
J.EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20535.
Email:untedstatefbifraudinvestof@gmail.com <mailto:untedstatefbifraudinvestof@gmail.com>
Recommendations:
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!
How to Report a Fraudulent Organization or Business Proposal
Please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov .
In the United States contact:
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
Overseas
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.
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!
For a comprehensive list of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.