Beware of the FBI Scam Email
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Updated: 6:08 AM Jan 26, 2012
Beware of the FBI Scam Email
A woman got an e-mail purporting to be from the FBI and believed it. The mistake cost her thousands of dollars.
Posted: 10:05 PM Jan 25, 2012
Reporter: Betty Sexton
Email Address: bsexton@kktv.com
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A new e-mail scam tells victims that the FBI has learned their name is on a scammers list, and that they must pay money to get their name removed.

Ann, a Colorado Springs woman, has been getting e-mails for a few weeks now. They claim to be from Special Investigator Gary Walker, with the FBI seal and even a photo of FBI Director Robert Mueller on them.

Ann did as she was told in the message and first paid $175, but then the successive e-mails kept demanding more money.

Not only did they promise to clear her name, but compensate her to the tune of more than $1 million.

Soon, Ann was out close to $5,000 and feeling suspicious.

She says, "The FBI! I just couldn't believe the FBI would be something wrong."

Instead of being the FBI, the e-mails were actually coming from crooks in West Africa.

Ann's relatives didn't even know what had happened because the scammer had told her not to talk about it.

Ann's daughter Linda says, "Maybe if she had said something to me about it I could've said, 'Mom are you sure?'"

Bill Hill, a member of the Colorado Springs Police Department's Senior Victim Assistance Team, told Ann, "There are a lot of these things going on here in the Springs."

Now, Ann's trying to pick up the pieces. She wiped out her savings account and is hoping others will learn from what's happened to her.

Just remember, the FBI never contacts people by e-mail and they never, ever will ask for cash.

If you ever have questions about the legitimacy of an e-mail, phone call, or letter feel free to make a Call for Action. The hotline is open Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The number to dial is 457-8211.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 26, 2012 at 06:05 PM

report the scam email to www.emailbusters.org, and to those that say "don't give money to anyone/someone" etc. you need to consider that the lady firmly believed it was FBI. We can't judge the person and say we feel no sympathy, scams like this can happen to anyone. Person that gets mugged is an idiot because he was "to weak" to defend him/herself? Too weak or too dumb has no place here, blame the crooks not the victims!
Posted by: Anonymous on Jan 26, 2012 at 10:09 AM

Stupid is as stupid does...
Posted by: ME Location: Colo Springs on Jan 26, 2012 at 07:18 AM

I really feel no sympathy for people like this, don't give out money just because someone says gimmie.
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