It's a Scam: The FBI Isn't Going to Send You E-mail

Leonard Pritchett can rest assured that the "FBI" is looking out for his financial well-being. Pritchett received an e-mail assuring him of that. However, he immediately recognized it as a scam.

According to the e-mail from "Mrs. Maria McCarthy of the FBI Foreign Remittance and Telegraphic Department," the FBI was notified that the Central Bank of Nigeria has released the paperwork for $100,500,000 to be sent to the Bank of America. McCarthy wrote that the bank transfer "...has been handled by GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. and your name was included as the BENEFICIARY BY INHERITANCE MEANS." McCarthy went on to explain the efforts the agency has made to help innocent victims.

"It comes to our notice after several meetings with the UNITED NATION (U.N.) over Internet fraud which have been going on around the globe recently and rendering innocent individual homeless and bankrupt, therefore we have made connections with every NATIONAL GOVERNMENT and we have been successful so far by getting most of the funds released and we are transferring it into the rightful beneficiary accounts."

All Pritchett needed to do was report back through e-mail so the "FBI's Anti-Terrorist and Monetary Crimes Division at the FBI Headquarters in Rusian Federation" can confirm the paperwork involved in getting his funds. Apparently, the money consists of an inheritance from ... well, that fact did not seem important to McCarthy, who never mentioned the source.

McCarthy did say that Pritchett had been defrauded by "some unscrupulous element." To protect himself, she advised him to be wary of scammers. "We will advice that you do not make contact with any individual, firm and company who claims you have won a lottery or you have had some fund somewhere because they are all frauds and lies," McCarthy wrote. "You are to note that this should be keep profoundly secret so as to avoid loss of funds by any means."

If Pritchett had been fooled and responded, he would have had to provide information that could be used for identity theft. He likely would have been asked to pay some fee in order to get his inheritance.

In a similar "FBI" scam, a letter from "FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III" threatens whoever receives it that they need to contact the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Los Angeles to get a clearance certificate. Failure to do so will end in legal action, the scammer posing as Mueller wrote. According to the letter, the agency has custody of funds that belong to the unnamed recipient. The money will not be released until the person gets the clearance document, which, of course, costs money: $350 for an authentic and official copy of the certificate with a seal of verification.

"You are hereby advised to Contact them through the e-mail address above to make an enquiry concerning how you will send the official fee to them," the scammer wrote. "Note that you are to observe this immediately, if you really want your funds to be credited to your personal bank account and to avoid any legal battle with the security operatives over this matter." Failure to do so within 24 hours means legal action will be taken immediately, the letter continues. The recipient will be arrested and detained as soon as an international court of justice issues a warrant of arrest. "If you are found guilty, you will be jailed as terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering is a serious problem in our community today and the world at large," the scammer warned. "The F.B.I. will not stop at any length in tracking down and prosecuting any criminal who indulges in this criminal act. Nobody is above the law and the law is not a respecter of anybody. We are charged with the responsibility of implementing legal norms and our authority is irrevocable so don't dare dispute our instruction, just as instructed."

The scammer hopes to frighten the recipient into becoming a victim. To further insinuate that action will be taken, the letter supposedly was also sent to the Supreme Court of the United States, the U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts, U.S. Circuit Courts, Courts of Special Jurisdiction, bankruptcy courts, and more than a half dozen additional federal agencies and organizations.

Information needed to get the so-called clearance certificate includes full name, phone number, cell phone number and full address. That is information that can be used in identity theft. Once again, money probably will be required before the "funds" will be released.

If you get a similar message from the FBI, ignore it. You will not be prosecuted for failing to send a scammer money.

News of the Force (page 2), Oct 15