Received fake FBI warning?

I have commented on a Michael Pitts under a romance scam topic. He sent me an unsolicited email saying the exact things one of the profiles on Match.com said. I got his IP address 196.200.112.168 from Nigeria. He continues to try to contact me even though I've asked him to leave me alone. After I blocked contact from him -- I received this email today supposedly from the FBI, but actually with the same IP address as he had 196.200.112.168 from Nigeria. All contact from this person has been on Yahoo. I have reported to them, however, I believe some people may be fooled by this FBI email.

The original Match profile was under the name of Bryan Smith: His IP address is 41.218.234.145 which is from Ghana. He admits that is where he is but he definitely a scammer. I broke off contact with him and that's when I received the Michael Pitts email. Here is what Smith's profile said on Match:

I'm a single (divorced) man who is ready to find the woman that I can spend the rest of my life with, sharing a love like no other. I used to think of myself as a "Hopeless Romantic", but I've learned that I should see myself as a "Hopeful Romantic" because I truly believe that there is someone for everyone and I'm ready for "My Someone". I can say that I've been blessed enough to have loved before, but I don't understand the need that some have to be unfaithful, and honestly I refuse to "share" my mate. Therefore, I've moved on thru the healing process, and am ready to find someone that has the same moral values I do.

I live life treating others the way that I want to be treated and almost always see the glass as 1/2 full. I love animals & have dogs that are very spoiled and I'm not sure that they know they're not human. I know that life is short and I'm ready to live it to the fullest. I do thank GOD for every day given to me. I've been blessed with a fantastic family and have some wonderful friends.

My friends would tell you that I'm tender hearted and there's nothing I wouldn't do for those that I care about. I don't like to see someone being mistreated and believe that we should always think about what we are gonna do or say, before we do or say it so that we don't cause pain to others. I know that there have been times when I've caused pain to someone else, but I didn't like the hurt they felt, and really try to think first so it doesn't happen again.

I would like to meet someone that isn't afraid of affection ... holding hands, the quick kiss, a hug... The surprise note left on the mirror or the text or voice mail that says "I'm thinking about you". I love to see a smile on the faces of those I care about and with just the thought of that smile, it brings a smile to my face thru the day even if we're not together. I love to laugh and enjoy making others laugh too.

I love the outdoors, and being around water. I enjoy fishing and hunting but haven't gotten to do either lately. I have my motorcycle license but recently got rid of my bike and miss it already. I do believe that there is something about feeling the wind in your face and the wonderful smells of the beautiful outdoors when on a bike, in a boat going across the water and even walking around a park...it's a feeling like none other.


Smith's email address is: [email protected]

Here is what Pitts' email said to me:

I'm a single (Divorced) who is ready to find the woman that I can spend the rest of my life with, sharing a love like no other. I used to think of myself as a "Hopeless Romantic", but I've learned that I should see myself as a "Hopeful Romantic" because I truly believe that there is someone for everyone and I'm ready for "My Someone". I can say that I've been blessed enough to have loved before, but I don't understand the need that some have to be unfaithful, and honestly I refuse to "share" my mate. Therefore, I've moved on thru the healing process, and am ready to find someone that has the same moral values I do.

I live life treating others the way that I want to be treated and almost always see the glass as 1/2 full. I love animals & have dogs that are very spoiled and I'm not sure that they know they're not human. I know that life is short and I'm ready to live it to the fullest. I do thank GOD for every day given to me. I've been blessed with a fantastic family and have some wonderful friends.

My friends would tell you that I'm tender hearted and there's nothing I wouldn't do for those that I care about. I don't like to see someone being mistreated and believe that we should always think about what we are gonna do or say, before we do or say it so that we don't cause pain to others. I know that there have been times when I've caused pain to someone else, but I didn't like the hurt they felt, and really try to think first so it doesn't happen again.

I would like to meet someone that isn't afraid of affection ... holding hands, the quick kiss, a hug... The surprise note left on the mirror or the text or voice mail that says "I'm thinking about you". I love to see a smile on the faces of those I care about and with just the thought of that smile, it brings a smile to my face thru the day even if we're not together. I love to laugh and enjoy making others laugh too.

I love the outdoors, and being around water. I enjoy fishing and hunting but haven't gotten to do either lately.I do believe that there is something about feeling the wind in your face and the wonderful smells of the beautiful outdoors when on a bike, in a boat going across the water and even walking around a park...it's a feeling like none other.

Well,drop me a line. Look forward to hearing from you...

Michael

Pitt's email address is [email protected].

Now here is the "FBI" email I received today from Nigerian IP address 196.200.112.168

This mail is coming directly from the Office of the Federal Bereau Of National Investigation (F.B.I) to you corcerning a scam activity going on and you are a VICTIM and we would like to help you out arrest those criminals if you so correspond with us and follow our rules and regulations of the State of Act Laws.
Through thorough investigations by our FBI Team over some few women here in the States that has been taken advantage of by those African hackers (SCAMMERS),we found your name listed among them.
Here are some of the names listed:

1:Kerri Larkin (Auburn City-CA) Amount: US$7,400.00
2:Brenda Jetts Duke (Mansfield,TX) Amount:US$26,400.00
3:Marilynn Long (Marion-Kansas) Amount:US$106,000.00
:US$50,000.00
:US$15,000.00
4:Sheryl Mcaulley (Grove City-OHIO) Amount:US$3,750.00
5:Judy Poopens (Lennox-SD) Amount:US$88,000.00
6:Reginald Davis (Grove City-OHIO) Amount: US$210,000.00
7:Brian Hall (Washington DC) Amount: US$7,620.00
8:Marilynn Governor (Allen-CA) Amount: US$1,400.00
9:Kate Dulphin (Bakersfield-TX) Amount: US$180,000.00
10: REMOVED WAS MY REAL NAME NOT MY NAME USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS EMAIL ADDRESS (United States).................. (This is what is scary to me how did they find out my real name? and associate it with this email address?)

Also to alert you,here are some of the names being used on the internet to scam and we are on the trace to arrest them and refund all those monies back to the victims.Its as follows:
1:Ron Charles
2:James Dillan
3:Martin Tetteh
4:Bill Wilson
5:Emmanuel Ayertey
6:Michael Pitts
7:Sandra Evans
8:Sam Frager
9:Curtis Sittenfeld
10:Rt. Gen. John Abzaide

If this mail gets to you and your found your name among the lists of those victims just reply back to us as soon as possible so we can help you and note that our office email is [email protected] and if in any case someone recreates familiar email to ours, lets us know immediately please...We looking forward to serving you best and thanks for understanding.


Yours In Service,
Front Desk,
F.B.I. Department,
Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina,
U.S.A


So are the Ghana people and the Nigerians in cahoots with one another? HELP! I have blocked this "FBI" email address as well.

Can someone tell me anything about this?

Thanks for your support!!!

Welcome to the recovery scam!

This is another scam, targeted at victims who have lost money, and some who didn't lose money, especially if the lad (scammer) thinks they might be willing to pay to get the scammer arrested. Of course the FBI is not in any way involved, and ultimately the goal here is to extract more money from the victim. This may be in the form of fees to arrest the scammer, or the victim may be asked to make a payment to the scammer so that the authorities can catch him in the act of receiving money. Of course the victim is told that he/she will get the money back.

One thing you need to understand is that many scammers do not work alone. Many work in gangs, with an established hierarchy (for example, an "oga" is the equivalent of a manager--he is often more educated and high-ranking in the scam gang, and lower level lads report to him.) Scammers in the same gang may use the same scripts, and a victim may be passed from one scammer to another in the gang. For example, low level scammer may be responsible for finding victims, but when it comes close to payment time, they may pass those victims off to a higher-ranking scammer with better English. In other words, the victim may be corresponding with more than one scammer without ever knowing it!

In addition, many of the scammers in Ghana are actually Nigerian, and there is quite a bit of travel between those countries--and scam gangs will work across borders. The matching IP and the use of your information most likely mean that Michael is either part of the same gang as William, or that Michael may even be William who is now in Ghana.

Can you post the fake FBI email address please. And did the email show your email address?