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SALT LAKE CITY — It seems no one is immune from the problem of scammers calling residents claiming to be law enforcement — not even the federal government.
On Thursday, a lot of Utah residents got calls from a person claiming to be a member of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“The DEA believes there have been thousands of calls in Salt Lake City today,” U.S. Attorney for Utah John Huber’s office announced Thursday.
The calls are part of an ongoing nationwide scam in which a person or group of people spoof an actual DEA number, pose as a DEA agent on the phone and threaten to arrest and prosecute the person they’re talking to for federal drug violations or drug trafficking, according to a statement from the DEA’s national media affairs office.
“Callers use fake names and badge numbers or, alternatively, names of well-known DEA senior officials. The tone of calls is urgent and aggressive; callers refuse to speak or leave a message with anyone other than the person for whom they are calling,” the DEA stated.
The caller then demands thousands of dollars, sometimes in the form of gift cards. Sometimes they even ask for personal information from the person they are trying to scam, according to the DEA.
On Thursday, the scammers apparently targeted Utah.
The DEA reminded the public that neither their office or any other law enforcement agency, will ever demand money over the phone in order for a person to avoid arrest, and they will never ask for personal or sensitive information over the phone.
The DEA encourages anyone who has received such a call to report it using their online form or by calling 877-792-2873.
Anyone caught impersonating a federal officer could face federal criminal charges.
