The FBI Moves to Nigeria - I win big!!!
One of my favorite junk mails - a category that represents about .00001 per cent of the crap that's filled my inbox over the years - was the sad tale of the Nigerian astronaut supposedly snuck aboard a Russian mission to their space station then abandoned in orbit when the Soviet Union collapsed and there was no money to bring him back to earth. And he wanted me to help him claim his back pay.
Now, according to the Lads from Lagos, the FBI has uncovered evidence that I've won $800,000 in an online lottery and, for just $500, I can claim my prize. This directly from FBI Director Richard Mueller himself. He even included his phone number so I can call and start working out how to send him my $500.
But not just any old FBI phone number. We're not talking reception here. We're talking his DIRECT LINE. In Nigeria.
The email came directly from the FBI's mailserver in Australia and includes a link to the email address of the Special Agent in Charge of this investigation who just happens to be in Kiev, Ukraine.
So what do you think? Is this real or could it be a scam?
-g
PS - And for your amusement, here's the email: Anti-Terrorist and International Fraud Division. Federal Bureau Of Investigation. Seattle, Washington. Telephone Number : (206) 973-2572
ATTN: BENEFICIARY
This is to Officially inform you that it has come to our notice and we have thoroughly completed an Investigation with the help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network System that you legally won the sum of $800,000.00 USD from a Lottery Company outside the United States of America. During our investigation we discovered that your e-mail won the money from an Online Balloting System and we have authorized this winning to be paid to you via a Certified Cashier's Check.
Normally, it will take up to 10 business days for an International Check to be cashed by your local bank. We have successfully notified this company on your behalf that funds are to be drawn from a registered bank within the United States Of America so as to enable you cash the check instantly without any delay, henceforth the stated amount of $800,000.00 USD has been deposited with Bank Of America.
We have completed this investigation and you are hereby approved to receive the winning prize as we have verified the entire transaction to be Safe and 100% risk free, due to the fact that the funds have been deposited at Bank Of America you will be required to settle the following bills directly to the Lottery Agent in-charge of this transaction whom is located in Lagos, Nigeria. According to our discoveries, you were required to pay for the following -
(1) Deposit Fee's ( Fee's paid by the company for the deposit into an American Bank which is - Bank Of America ) (2) Cashier's Check Conversion Fee ( Fee for converting the Wire Transfer payment into a Certified Cashier's Check ) (3) Shipping Fee's ( This is the charge for shipping the Cashier's Check to your home address )
The total amount for everything is $500.00 (Five Hundred-US Dollars). We have tried our possible best to indicate that this $500.00 should be deducted from your winning prize but we found out that the funds have already been deposited at Bank Of America and cannot be accessed by anyone apart from you the winner, therefore you will be required to pay the required fee's to the Agent in-charge of this transaction via Western Union Money Transfer Or Money Gram.
In order to proceed with this transaction, you will be required to contact the agent in-charge ( Mr. Benson Edward ) via e-mail. Kindly look below to find appropriate contact information:
CONTACT AGENT NAME: MR. BENSON EDWARD E-MAIL ADDRESS: bensonedward08@gala.net
TELEPHONE NUMBER : +234-703-586-0779
You will be required to e-mail him with the following information: FULL NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: ZIP CODE: DIRECT CONTACT NUMBER: You will also be required to request Western Union details on how to send the required $500.00 in order to immediately ship your prize of $800,000.00 USD via Certified Cashier's Check drawn from Bank Of America, also include the following transaction code in order for him to immediately identify this transaction : EA2948-910. This letter will serve as proof that the Federal Bureau Of Investigation is authorizing you to pay the required $500.00 ONLY to Mr. Benson Edward via information in which he shall send to you, if you do not receive your winning prize of $800,000.00 we shall be held responsible for the loss and this shall invite a penalty of $3,000 which will be made PAYABLE ONLY to you (The Winner). Please find below an authorized signature which has been signed by the FBI Director- Robert Mueller, also below is the FBI NSB (National Security
FBI Director Robert Mueller.
