WXIN/WTTV — A recent call received by one of our regular viewers serves as a good reminder to avoid falling for police or government imposters who are after your money or information.
Betty Hardwick recently contacted us about a strange call she received. The person calling from the number 610-924-4827 claimed to be an agent with US Customs and Border Protection. The caller, who identified himself as “David,” claimed that someone was trying to move 17 pounds of cocaine through El Dorado, Texas, by using Betty’s name.
“David” claimed agents had intercepted the package of drugs, which had Betty’s name on it, and he wanted to discuss the case with her.
Thankfully, Betty recognized the call as a scam and contacted us.
When I called the phone number, the automated message on the other end said, “Your call cannot be completed as dialed, please check the number and dial again.”
The Federal Trade Commission has been warning about this particular scam for several years. In most cases, the imposter will give you just enough information to make you want to learn more. At that point, they will often demand payment for access to the full case details. They might also take a different tone and claim there is a warrant out for your arrest.
Either way, it usually ends with the scammer demanding more information about you or payment in the form of wire transfer, cryptocurrency or gift cards.
If you get one of these calls, here are the recommendations from the FTC:
- CBP won’t call you out of the blue with promises of money or threats. Is the caller asking you to pay a fee or share your Social Security, credit card, or bank account numbers over the phone? Hang up. It’s a scam.
- CBP never uses gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. If someone asks you to pay this way, it’s a scam. Always.
- Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can make their phone numbers look real even if they’re not.
- Check with CBP if you’re unsure about whether a call or email is real. Never call back phone numbers in caller ID, or left in voicemails, emails, or social media messages. Instead, type the agency name into a search bar and click on their webpage to find contact information.
For more information on these types of scams, visit ftc.gov/imposters. And if you spot this, or any scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
