TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The FBI Jacksonville Division has received notice that scammers are posing as representatives of the FBI to target residents in North Florida and steal their personal information.
The FBI said that multiple versions of the government impersonation scam have been reported in recent days, all of which use intimidation tactics.
In one version, a victim reported first getting a call from a person who claimed to represent a sweepstakes company and offered a sizeable prize.
When the victim declined to provide personal information to get the so-called prize, the call ended.
Later, the victim received a second call from a person who claimed to be a representative of the FBI who was investigating the sweepstakes company, the warning said.
The victim was again asked to provide personal information to further the so-called investigation, and when the victim declined, the caller became aggressive in their demands.
In the second version, a victim reported receiving a call from someone who claimed to be a representative of the FBI and was investigating a confiscated shipment of illegal materials addressed to the victim's home, the FBI warning said.
The caller claimed to have an immediate need for personal information about the victim, including financial account numbers, in order to eliminate the victim as a suspect in the alleged crime.
When the victim declined to provide the information, the caller threatened fines and jail time.
FBI Jacksonville reminded residents that they do not call or email threats nor demand money as part of any investigation.
They added that if you are contacted by a representative of the FBI as part of an investigation, you may verify their identity by contacting your local field office (FBI Jacksonville, 904-248-7000).
All types of scams and fraud should be reported to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) by clicking here.
Filing a complaint with IC3 allows the FBI to identify patterns that aid in federal investigations as well as public awareness and crime-prevention education efforts.
If you are a victim and suffered a financial loss or identity theft, also consider filing a report with your law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission by clicking here.
