Email Scam Warning

Copied below is an email received the other day. This is obviously another scam. Readers should be reminded that if someone wants to give you money, if even for a fee…there’s usually something wrong with it. This scam email is full of blatant errors. Beware. Many are noted in RED.

Anti-Terrorist And Monetary Crimes Division
FBI Headquarters In Washington, D.C.
Federal Bureau Of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935,Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C 20535-0001

The address says that FBI Headquarters is “In” Washington, DC. The remaining portion of the address already tells us this.

Federal Bureau “Of” Investigation. Are they now called FBOI…nope another indicator. Also, the rest of the address is an incorrect format.

Attn: (Attention to who? Anybody crazy enough to fall for this?)

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 $900,000.00 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 ATMcard or to be transfer into your Bank account.

“This is to ‘Officially” inform you…” Does it make it more official with a capital “O”? A number of issues here: Since when does the FBI monitor lottery winnings? First of all, it is illegal to conduct intelligence collection on U.S. citizens without probable cause. Playing the lottery doesn’t count as probable cause. The email states that monitoring is conducted through a non-existent system. Secondly, the email doesn’t say the recipient of the email won; it says their ‘email” won. Have email accounts now gone rogue and started registering us for lotteries? Doubtful. Thirdly, the email says that the FBI has authorized the payment. Again, since when is the FBI in the lottery business? Lastly (for this section anyway), $900,000 is to be paid via ATMcard? (as opposed to ‘ATM card’). Transfers aren’t made to ATM cards. They are wired to specific accounts. (There are other scams to get specific bank account info).

Normally, it will take up to 10 business days for an International ATMcard 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 in Nigeria so as to enable you cash the check instantly without any delay, henceforth the stated amount of $900,000.00 USD has been deposited with ForestGate Trust Bank (FTB).

“Normally, it will take up to 10 business days for an International ATMcard to be cashed by your local bank.” This means “If we get money from you, we have 10 days to disappear.” …”International ATMCard“…Another indicator….”We have successfully notified this company” What Company?…”drawn from a registered bank in Nigeria“…RUN!!

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 ForestGate Trust Bank (FTB) 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 -

According to the email, approved the winning ‘email’ to receive the winning prize. Also, the transaction is “Safe“. Is it more safe with a capital “S”? …”According to our discoveries, you were required to pay for the following“…HERE IT COMES…the money-making hook…

(1) Deposit Fee’s ( Fee’s paid by the company for the deposit into an Nigeria Bank which is – ForestGate Trust Bank (FTB))
(2) ATMcard Conversion Fee ( Fee for converting the Wire Transfer payment into a ATMcard)
(3) Shipping Fee’s ( This is the charge for shipping the ATMcard to your home address and this fee includes Insurance )

The total amount for everything is $100.00 (One Hundred-US Dollars). We have tried our possible best to indicate that this $100.00 should be
deducted from your winning prize but we found out that the funds have already been deposited at ForestGate Trust Bank (FTB) 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.

They have tried their “Possible Best” to have the fees deducted from the ‘winnings’. Since when does the FBI act as a lottery agent for people? They don’t.

In order to proceed with this transaction, you will be required to contact the agent in-charge ( MR.GARY PALTON) via e-mail. Kindly look below to
find appropriate contact information:

CONTACT AGENT NAME: MR. GARY PALTON
E-MAIL ADDRESS:fstgateservices@gmail.com
Telephone Number : +234-816-044-8021

A bank that uses a “GMAIL” email address? Not likely.

You will be required to e-mail him with the following information:

FULL NAME:
ADDRESS:
CITY:
STATE:
ZIP CODE:
DIRECT CONTACT NUMBER:

It usually takes a little information to put together a false identity. Full name, address and phone number is a start.

You will also be required to request Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram details on how to send the required $100.00 in order to immediately
ship your prize of $900,000.00 USD via ATMcard drawn from ForestGate Trust Bank (FTB) also include the following transaction code in order for him to
immediately identify this transaction : EA2948-91090. This letter will serve as proof that the Federal Bureau Of Investigation is authorizing you to pay the required $100.00 ONLY to MR.GARY PALTON via information in which he shall send to you, if you do not receive your winning prize of $900,000.00 we shall be held responsible for the loss and this shall invite a penalty of $1,000 which will be made PAYABLE ONLY to you (The Winner).

Bank transactions are unique. Yet, this email states that the winner is to cite transaction number EA2948-91090. It took very little research to find many of these letters posted online all with the SAME transaction number. See a few website examples below:

http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?p=762082

http://antifraudintl.org/showthread.php?t=24955

http://www.419scam.org/emails/2010-03/19/01028296.83.htm

Also, it’s interesting that the $100 payment doesn’t get paid to a bank or a company…but “ONLY to MR. GARY PALTON“.

John Edward (Special Agent) FBI
Washington DC FBI.
Room, 7367
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

NOTE: In order to ensure your AMTcard gets delivered to you ASAP, you are advised to immediately contact MR. GARY PALON via contact information
provided above and make the required payment of $100.00 to information in which he shall provide to you.

Notice how the name of the person changed from Gary PALTON to PALON.

As shown above, this email is full of indicators of a scam. A transaction of $900,000 certainly would not be done via an email. Even though, there are obvious indicators of fraud, some people fall for these. Beware. If it looks like too good an opportunity, it likely is.