HOUSTON — The FBI
Houston Field Office joins other FBI offices across the country in warning the public about individuals claiming to be federal law enforcement to defraud victims of money and per- sonally identifiable infor mation.
Fraudsters posing as law enforcement have been known to contact unsuspecting members of the public and claim that they are suspects or victims of a fraud investigation. The communication typically occurs via text message, phone, or email.
Recent reports detail that offenders, who are not always operating in the United States, create fraudulent scenarios, including posing as bank employees who claim to be working alongside legitimate FBI agents, to gather personal and financial information on the victim.
The FBI urges the public to be extremely cautious when communicating with anyone who claims to be a federal law enforcement officer. Federal authorities will never ask for any kind of payment or personally identifying information when contacting victims or suspects of crime online or over the phone.
If you or someone you know receives a call, text, or email from someone claiming to be a federal law enforcement agent, do not provide information or payment in any form, including money, credit cards, prepaid cards, or cryptocurrency.
• Be suspicious of any unsolicited calls, texts, and emails.
• Follow your gut: if an unknown individual is making statements that don’t sound factual, or if they’re pressuring you to act immediately, end all communication and save them for the record.
• If claims raise concern, verify the information independently by contacting the appropriate law enforcement agency, bank, or company with the contact information publicly known, and not provided by a scammer.
• Never give money and/ or personal information to someone with whom you did not initiate contact or have an independent and direct affiliation.
To bring offenders to justice or to report fraud, please file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov, or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (2255324), or at tips.fbi.gov.
