Scammers are posing as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, then calling random numbers to get sensitive information. The person on the other end may call and say they intercepted an international package with your name on it and drugs inside. A call like that can be intimidating if you think it is real. "[When they call, the scammers] give a name of somebody who is actually with our agency. In fact, they have used my name in the past," said Steve Sapp, a CBP spokesperson, reports Scripps News. "The first thing consumers should know is if it's drugs, we're not going to release it to you. We're more than likely going to come knock on your door and have a nice little chat with you and maybe put on some silver bracelets for importing drugs," he said.
With one Norfolk, Va., resident, the caller shared their alleged name, badge number, and a case file number to seem credible. The caller then said they had our viewer's home address and bank accounts on file but needed the exact routing numbers to freeze the accounts. Sapp said the Department of Homeland Security and CBP will never call you over the phone, solicit money or Bitcoin. "Protect yourself, do your due diligence, but most importantly, don't provide any personal information over the telephone and do not wire money to anybody you don't know," Sapp said. “[These criminals] are making $50 to $60 million a month on the different scams that are circulating.” If people fall victim and lose money, there is not much they can do, but they should report everything to the Federal Trade Commission.