U.S. Marshals, FBI Urge Public To Report Phone Scams
U.S. Marshals News:
The U.S. Marshals and the FBI are alerting the public of several nationwide imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be U.S. Marshals, court officers/officials, or other law enforcement officials.
They are urging people to report the calls to their local FBI office and file a consumer complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which has the ability to detect patterns of fraud from the information collected and share that data with law enforcement.
During these calls, scammers attempt to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to report for jury duty or other offenses. Intended victims are told they can avoid arrest by purchasing a prepaid debit card such as a Green Dot card or gift card and read the card number over the phone to satisfy the fine, or by depositing/transferring funds into bitcoin or other crypto-currency.
FBI & U.S. Marshals Urge Public To Report Phone Scams
Get our free mobile app
We have all gotten them. The phone rings, whether it be our cell phone or land line and you answer. The voice on the other end is claiming to be with the FBI, U.S. Marshals, or the IRS. Is it real?
Most likely, the answer is no. Both the FBI and U.S. Marshals office is spending time this week alerting the public of several different scams that involve people claiming to be court officials, Marshals, or other types of law enforcement.
During the call, the scammers will attempt to collect money over the phone from the victim. According to a press release, scammers are using different tactics to sound credible. In some cases they provide fake badge numbers and names of real judges and addresses.
May 12, 2021 / 03:05 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) Con artists are spoofing local phone numbers to trick people into sending money, the U.S. Marshals Office warned Wednesday.
The scams involve trying to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to go to jury duty, to pay taxes, or to address other potential offenses. People called in the scam are told to buy prepaid debit or gift cards, then read the card numbers over the phone to pay the fines.
Victims of the scam should call their local FBI offices. The Indianapolis FBI office is at 317-595-4000.
Victims also were asked to file a consumer complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The FTC collects fraud patterns and shares that data with law enforcement.
Replies(4)
(Shutterstock)
CHESHIRE, CT A Cheshire man who worked as an investment adviser has pleaded guilty to a federal charge in connection with stealing more than $600,000 from an elderly client, according to officials.
Matthew O. Clason, 39, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of wire fraud related to his misappropriation of more than $600,000 from an investment client, Acting U.S. States Attorney for Connecticut Leonard C. Boyle announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Clason was an investment adviser and a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation, and then LPL Financial LLC.
Sherman woman gets 2 years in fed prison for conspiracy scheme with Houston partner
Eastern District of Texas
Two Texas women have each been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy charges in the Eastern District of Texas.
Pamela Sue Hannan, 68, of Sherman, and Pamela Sue Jennings, 69, of Houston, pleaded guilty on August 6, 2020, to conspiring with foreign co-conspirators to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business and were sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker.
“Today’s sentences send a clear message that schemes targeting elderly victims will not be tolerated, and those facilitating such schemes will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “By acting as domestic money transmitters for foreign co-conspirators, these defendants played fundamental roles that allowed foreign actors to reach from overseas to target elderly victims in communities across the United States.