FBI Warns Of Government Impersonation Scams
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Salt Lake City Division is aware of an increase in reports of scammers targeting Montanans by claiming to be a representative of the FBI.
In more than one instance in Montana, victims were contacted by phone by someone claiming to be an FBI agent. They were told by the impersonator that their identity had been stolen. The victims were instructed to move their money out of their bank and investment accounts to the “FBI” for safe keeping. They were instructed to do so by depositing their money into a “federal” bitcoin ATM that they said was located inside a convenience store.
Be advised, federal agencies do not call or email individuals and ask for personal information or money. Scammers often spoof caller ID information, and these phone calls are fraudulent even if they appear to be coming from an agency’s legitimate phone number. Recipients should hang up immediately and report the call. There are many versions of the government impersonation scam, and they all exploit intimidation tactics. Typically, the caller advises the recipient of the call that charges have been, or soon will be, filed against them, and threatens to confiscate the recipient’s property, freeze their bank accounts, or have them arrested unless payment is made immediately. If the recipient questions the caller, the caller becomes more aggressive.
The recipients are advised that it will cost thousands of dollars in fees or court costs to resolve the matter, and the caller typically instructs people to wire “settlement” money or provide payment via prepaid cards or gift cards to avoid arrest. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, 11,554 people reported being victims of government impersonation scams in 2022, with losses totaling $240,553,091. In Montana, 44 victims reported financial losses totaling $47,940.
The FBI will never:
• Call or email private citizens to demand payment or threaten arrest. You will also not be asked to wire a “settlement” to avoid arrest.
• Ask you to deposit your money into a bitcoin ATM.
• Ask you for wire transfers or gift cards.
• Call you about “frozen” Social Security numbers or to coordinate inheritances. Scams impersonating the FBI and other government agencies are a persistent problem and can also occur via email. Common hallmarks of a scam email include misspellings, missing words, and incorrect grammar. Fraudulent emails may give the appearance of legitimacy by using pictures of the FBI Director and/or the FBI seal and letterhead. Members of the public seeking to confirm that they have been contacted by an actual FBI employee are encouraged to call the FBI Salt Lake City Division at 801-579-1400 and ask to be connected directly. To avoid becoming a victim of this scam, be wary of answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize. Do not send money to anybody that you do not personally know and trust. Never give out your personal information, including your Social Security number, over the phone or to individuals you do not know. If you think you are a victim of this scam and suffered a financial loss, please file a report with your local law enforcement agency and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov. All types of fraud schemes and scams (even if there is no financial loss) should be reported to IC3. Filing a complaint allows analysts from the FBI to identify leads and patterns from the hundreds of complaints that are received daily. The IC3 then refers the complaints, along with their analyses, to the relevant law enforcement agency to aid in public awareness and crime-prevention education efforts.
