Fake Border Patrol agents are the subject of a warning from CBP about a phone scam.
CBP issues warning against phone scam seeking banking information
Nationwide, a phone scam is being targeted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which aims to obtain personal information that can bypass financial security measures.
On Sunday, a post from the agency stated that scammers are pretending to be CBP officers and Border Patrol agents, offering money for information or threatening law enforcement's arrival.
A social media post was issued in response to a prior warning in November, which was triggered by an increase in phone calls from worried citizens regarding scammers.
Rod Hudson, Acting Director of Field Operations at CBP Houston, stated that if CBP suspects illegal activity, it will not request money or social security numbers from a suspect or a victim.
CBP will not make threatening calls to citizens, claiming law enforcement is on the way or offering money for information. If you receive a call from U.S. Customs and Border Protection about a shipment of drugs or money, it is a scam, regardless of how convincing the caller may sound.
CBP reports that scammers went as far as providing an actual employee's name and phone number for victims to verify their identity, and some even gave fake case and badge numbers.
Some scams used a pre-recorded message that claimed a "shipment of drugs or money with your name on it had been intercepted," prompting the target to press 1 and connect with a live person.
People who receive a phishing call should not disclose any information to the caller.
Phone scams can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission here.
Four main points CBP reminds people of are:
- CBP won't suddenly contact you with offers of money or threats.
- CBP never uses gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers.
- Do not trust caller ID.
- To verify if a call or email from CBP is legitimate, search for the agency's website and contact information.
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