Fake Government Agencies
FBI Scams - Robert Swan Meuller III
Have you received a email from Robert Swan Meuller III (or any other name) at
the FBI, instructing you to carry through any financial transaction - let us
repeat - ANY financial transaction - that will be a scam. 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.
We highlighted a few of the obvious signs (beyond that described above) that
this is a scam. 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
.
Another more recent version of the
scam is on this page.
Sample Scam FBI Email:
December 23, 2007, CFR received the following email:
From: ROBERT SWAN MUELLER
III
<fbi-securitywatch@fedbureau-investigation.org >
Sent: Saturday, December 8, 2007 8:13:31 AM
Subject: OFFICIAL MESSAGE FROM FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.
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
We believe this notification meets you in a very good present state of mind
and health. 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
favour 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 activities 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.
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 documentations evidencing your claim purported to have been signed
personally by you prior to the release of your contract fund valued at about
US$10,700,000.00 (Ten million Seven Hundred Thousand United States Dollars),
but the Central Bank office did the wise thing by insisting on hearing from
you personally before they go ahead on wiring your fund to the Bank
informations 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 these irregularities so
that they don't fall victim to this ugly circumstance anymore. And should
incase you are already dealing with anybody or office claiming to be from
the Central Bank of Nigeria, you are 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 informations
accordingly:
NAME: PROF. CHARLES CHUKWUMA SOLUDO
OFFICE ADDRESS: Central Bank of Nigeria,
Tinubu Square Tinubu
Lagos - Nigeria.
TEL: +234-805-474-0218
Email:
p.charles.soludo@cenbnkonlineng.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. 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, 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 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 anticipated co-operation in advance as we
earnestly await your urgent response to this matter.
Best Regards,
ROBERT SWAN MUELLER III
WASHINGTON D.C ROOM,7367
J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING
935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
NW WASHINGTON, DC 20535,
Email:
fbi-securitywatch@fedbureau-investigation.org
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 Service
Financial Crimes Division
1800 G Street, NW
Room 942
Washington, DC 20223
Phone: (202) 435–5850
Fax: (202) 435–5031
Or contact the local U.S. Secret Service Field Office.
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.
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