Progression of a recovery scam

This is an illustration of the progression of a recovery scam. Please note that this correspondence was received by an experienced scambaiter who has taken precautions to remain anonymous. We do not recommend to engage in correspondence with a scammer without these precautions.

Recovery scams are one of the more common types of email-based scams. They target victims who have already been scammed in the past, claiming to be from an official of some organization which plans to reimburse them for the money they have lost. Common recovery scam formats impersonate the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) the United Nations (UN) or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This is the first email from the scammer. The email is not from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Note that the area code for both the phone numbers he gives is in Seattle, not Washington, DC. The phone number is not a land line, but a free phone number available through K7.net that forwards you messages and faxes via email. It can be set up anonymously by anyone, anywhere in the world. The scammer, despite claiming to be from the FBI, is using a free Hotmail address rather than the @fbi.gov address all legitimate FBI personnel would have. All this is in addition to a certain lack of English grammar skills unbecoming of a FBI director.

The scammer is also impersonating the Central Bank of Nigeria, again using free webmail addresses. The Central Bank of Nigeria has been so frequently impersonated that they have an entire page of information dedicated to advance fee fraud on the real bank's website: http://www.cenbank.org/419/

THIS IS THE (F.B.I)
http://www.fbi.gov
ROBERT S. MUELLER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FBI
Direct Line: 206-888-4277
Email:[email protected]
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington,
D.C. 20535-0001, USA


FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION SEEKING TO WIRETAP THE INTERNET


The Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I) write to you in correspondence to the meeting we recently had with the Federal republic of Nigeria Government on the ERADICATION of SCAMS on the internet. Federal bureau of investigation (FBI) Washington, DC in conjunction with some other relevant Investigation Agencies like Internal Revenue Service here in the United states of America have recently been informed through our Global intelligence monitoring network that you presently have a transaction with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as regards to your over-due contract payment which was fully endorsed in your favor accordingly. After the meeting held on Friday 25th of June 2010 at the Bank Auditorium Center, the whole conflict of SCAMS was revealed to us by the Board of Trustee of Federal Republic of Nigeria mostly by the three arms of Government.

The Judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive).

These three arms of Government has made Us realize that the ramped of SCAMS over floating around the United State of America and some other part of the world was been set up by the root of some CBN Ex-Workers that have been suspended for sometimes due to their dubious characters of initiating people to impersonate the Government Workers to receive peoples hard earn money from them, mostly with the Executive Governor identity.

For these reasons, the New Central Bank Executive Governor was invited to this office to defend the allegation against Him. While he made complain that his office was not in charge of foreign transfer of funds, that the accredited office was Federal Ministry of Finance Department (FEDMINAP) in person of EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR: MR. LAMIDO AMINU SANUSI as the New appointed Accountant General in charge of all foreign transfer Payment files.

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 that is why the Federal Government has appoint EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR: MR. LAMIDO AMINU SANUSI as the Payment Director of the Central Bank office.
The Federal government of Nigeria has approved that all overdue outstanding payments must be paid on or before Monday 25th of June 2010, before the upcoming Local Government Electorates which might leads to recalling of funds back to the Bank Treasury. Meanwhile, we are also informed that a Man with an America passport number (3028882234) came to the Central Bank affiliated bank office in U.K few days ago with a letter, claiming to be your true representative.

Here are the man information below:
(I've removed the banking details from this post as I'm not sure whether they belong to a real person; the original email had a name and account number here.)

INSTRUCTION/WARNING
FROM ROBERT S. MUELLER III.

NB: You are urgently advised to please reconfirm the below following information to the Office of the New Accountant General, as a matter of urgency if this Man is from you so that this office will not issue your fund and be held responsible, If this man isn't of your true representative, you are requested to contact for your inheritance claim valued of US$10,000,000.00M (Ten Million United State Dollars) only will be remitted into your nominated bank account or any other way you which to receive it.

1) Your full name..
2) Home, fax and mobile #.
3) Residential address.
4) Company name,
5)Company address.
6)Office position and
5) Age and marital status.
6) Working I'd / Int'l passport.

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 in person from Africa in your best interest and as you already know that prof Soludo is no more the acting Gov of the (CBN) and then contact the real office of the New (GOV) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) only with the Below information's accordingly:

EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR:
OFFICE ADDRESS: Central Bank of Nigeria,
Central Business District,
Cadastral Zone,
Abuja, Federal Capital Territory,
Nigeria.
Direct Line: + 234 7066230050
Email:- [email protected]

IMPORTANT NOTICE.

Note: we are on investigation and security watch over any message with Central Bank, to benefit the satisfaction of all the United States Citizen by seeking to Wiretap scams on the internet with the help of Nigeria Government and also with The assistance of all United states Citizen, by listening to the instructions we give out to avoid falling for SCAMS on INTERNET.
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 there is limit of validity on this transaction and further delay might make you lose this transaction as the rightful Beneficiary.

Should in case you need any more information's in regards to this Notification, be 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.

Regards,
Robert S. Mueller,
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington,
D.C. 20535-0001, USA
Cell :- 206-666-2275
Email Adress:[email protected]

The victim responds - it doesn't particularly matter what he/she says as the scammer will just go on with his replies, which are pre-written scripts.

The next part of his script doesn't contain much, serving only to sound official and bureaucratic and get the victim's hopes up. Please note the further demonstration of the scammer's horrible English skills. (It is also worth noting that a real American would recognize "Fluffy Fluffington" as probably not being the name of a real person.)

GOODDAY :Fluffy Fluffington

WE THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI WANT TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR FUND WHICH HAS BEEN DUE FOR PAYMENT NEEDS TO BE RECOVERED BY YOU. WE ARE INFORMING YOU ABOUT YOUR CONTRACT PAYMENT WHICH IS DUE FOR DISBURSEMENT. THIS STATED FUND NEEDS TO BE CLAIMED BY YOU IN ORDER NOT TO ENABLE YOUR FUND TO BE DIVERTED TO ANOTHER BANK ACCOUNT ACCORDINGLY.

PERSONALLY WE WILL GIVE YOU A CALL, BUT WE CAN NOT ASSURE YOU ON THE DAY AND TIME THE CALL WILL BE ASCERTAINED, BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENT INVESTIGATION THAT WE ARE COLLIDING, AND WORKING ON NOW, AND WE BELIEVED THAT WITH OUR WRITE-UP AND BACK UP, YOU WILL BE ON THE SAVE SIDE AND ALWAYS UPDATE US IN OTHER TO VALIDATE YOUR TRANSACTION WITH THE CBN OF NIGERIA.

NOTE THIS, IF THIS TRANSACTION IS NOT LEGITIMATE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE CONTACTED YOU AT THE FIRST PLACE REGARDS TO YOUR WINNING FUND. A LOT OF CITIZENS IN THE USA ARE BEING LEAD TO SCAM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT AD HERE TO INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO THEM ON INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTION.

WE ARE ASSURING YOU THAT, YOU ARE ONE OF THE LUCKY PERSONS TO HAVE WON THIS CONTRACT FUND PAYMENT. INFORMING YOU THAT THIS IS LEGIT AND LEGAL BECAUSE WITH OUR INTERFERENCE ON THIS TRANSACTION WITH THE CBN , PROVES SHOWS THAT YOU ARE ONE OF THE SELECTED CITIZENS TO HAVE WON THIS PAYMENT FUND. WITH THE LEGITIMATE POWER GIVEN TO US, WITHOUT OUR INTERFERENCE THIS TRANSACTION CAN NOT BE COMPLETED.

WE ARE MONITORING THEIR SERVICES WITH DUE PROCESS OF LAW IN OUR DEPARTMENT . TO FURTHER BRIEF YOU, WE HAVE SPOKEN TO THE PERSON IN CHARGE WHICH IS (MR EMAKPO SAM BANKS THE ASSISTANCE TO THE CHIEF DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA MR. LAMIDO AMINU SANUSI) TO CONFIRM THE BASIC OF THIS TRANSACTION. AND WITH OUR INVESTIGATIONS AND INTERVENTION, WE HAVE CONCLUDED AND GUARANTEE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS LEGIT AND LEGAL WITH ALL THE DOCUMENTS PROVIDED TO US AS PROVES. WE THE FBI WANTS TO ASSURE YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS SAFE AND YOU ARE FREE TO DEAL WITH THEM LEGALLY.

WE ASSURE YOU THAT IF YOU FOLLOW OUR PROTOCOL BASED ON THE EMAILS THAT WE SENT TO YOU, YOU WILL BE SATISFIED WITH IT AND NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT. NOTE THAT WE CAN NOT ISSUE OUT OUR PHONE NUMBER FOR YOU TO CONTACT US, BECAUSE WE RECEIVE LOTS OF MAILS FROM OUR CITIZENS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF STATE ABOUT SCAMMERS OR PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO EXTORT MONEY FROM THEM SO, OUR LINE IS BUSY. WE FELT WITH OUR WRITINGS ON MAILS, YOU CAN CORNFIELD YOUR TRUST IN US.

DO NOT WORRY YOU ARE ON THE SAFE SIDE AND YOU ARE FREE TO CONTACT THEM, BECAUSE WE HAVE CONTACTED THE PERSON IN CHARGE AND HE HAS ASSURED US THAT ALL IS WELL WITH THE PROCESSING OF NECESSARY DOCUMENTATIONS NEEDED AND THEY HAVE SENT THEM ALL TO US FOR CONFIRMATION FROM THE PRESIDENCY AND TO PROVE YOU AS OWNER TO THIS FUND. WE ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND YOU, AND WE WILL ADVISE YOU TO CONTACT THE REAL CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA ON,

E-MAIL: ( [email protected])
PHONE: +234-7066230050 (MR. SAM BANKS).

WE ARE ADVISING YOU, THAT ANY EMAIL THAT DOSE NOT COME DIRECTLY FROM THESE EMAIL ADDRESS ([email protected]) SHOULD BE DISREGARDED.

NOTE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED NOT TO DISCLOSE YOUIR CONTRACT FUNDS TO ANYONE UNTIL YOUR SAID CONTRACT FUNDS HAS BEEN FULLY TRANSFERRED TO YOU FOR SECURITY REASONS, AND YOU SHOULD ABIDE TO OUR INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR FUNDS.

GET BACK TO US AS SOON AS YOU HAVE CONTACTED THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, (http://[email protected]).

THANK YOU AND HAVE A NICE DAY.
IN GOD WE TRUST.
MANAGEMENT.

The victim contacts the manager of the "bank", who is actually the scammer from another email address, who promptly replies back with a few questions which, if he was who he said he was, he would already know most of. The phone numbers near the bottom are both cell phones.

Attn Fluffy Fluffington ,

IMMEDIATE SCAM VICTIM PAYMENTTIFICATION...(**CBN**)


We refer to the above subject and wish to notify you that we have been informed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Washington DC. regarding the transfer of your fund into your bank account. We have forward all the necessary document needed for this transaction to your Government, but you have to adhere to our instructions before the funds will be transferred. To this effect, you are further advised to re-confirm to our humble office the below information, so that we will not have any problem regarding the transfer of your fund into your bank account.

1) Your Full Name:

2) Phone, Fax And Mobile

3) Contact Address:

4) Banking Details

5) Profession, Age And Marital Status.

6) Copy Of your Int'l Passport/Driving license :

However, i want you to know that those Vital Documents are well needed now for our documentation but if you refuse to provide us with that it mean that you will have to go for a Clearance Documents which will back you for the said Fund..........


And from the entire Board of Director we send our sincere Apololgy to you and wanna assure that all will be fine.....

Is very necessary that you present all those information’s because without that the (CBN) PAYMENT OFFICE DEPARTMENT can not start the processing compensation fund to you....However, you are further advice to get back to this Office all the Proof Document that you are one of these Scam Victim that we have here on our List...

From the entire board of the Central Bank of Nigeria, we are saying

Phone: +234-706-623-0050 (Prof. Lamido B Sanusi).
Phone: +234-708-632-9106 (Sam Banks).

CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE!!!

After sending the requested information, the victim receives the following reply, requesting a fee before sending the payment:

Attn Fluffy Fluffington ,

IMMEDIATE SCAM VICTIM PAYMENTTIFICATION...(**CBN**)


Having acknowledge your email with the content well noted and understood,i want you to know that we have recieved your email with due process and we will like you to know that has you indivcated to us that you want your money transfered into your Citi bank account.


I will like you to know that the Board of Director has sat down concerning the transfer of your fund and am pleased to let you know that you are to pay $500 for the transfer of your fund.This is all you are to pay for the immediate tranfer of the fund into your account as soon as possible.

Also i will like you to know that the Experts are ready to get the Fund transfer as soon as you remit the payment of the $500 back to our office as soon as possible.

I want you to know that i did try getting in touch with you through your mobile but its not going through so i will be glad if you can give me a call as soon as you get this email on my direct mobile +234-7066230050.


I wait to hearing from you.

If the victim sends the first fee, the scammer will come up with more and more nonexistent fees to ask for until the victim runs out of money or realizes what's going on and stops sending payments. There is, obviously, no big payoff in the end, he'll just keep going for as long as he can.

For examples of recovery scams, see Scamwarners' Recovery scams forum.