Conmen posing as FDA special agents stage telephone scams

Online pharmaceutical consumers told to pay up or go to jail

Telephone conmen posing as FDA and other law enforcement officers are using scare tactics to convince past customers of online pharmaceutical purchases to pay fines of $100 to $250,000 or else.

In a statement issued Tuesday, the FDA says "if you refuse to pay up, the caller threatens to search your properties, arrest or deport you, put you in jail, and even physically harm you."

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According to the FDA these conmen may be obtaining customer lists containing "tens of thousands of names and a great deal of self-reported information, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, purchase histories and credit card account numbers."

Investigators say the call is likely a scam" if the so-called agent directs you to send the money by wire transfer to a designated location, usually overseas, and if you are warned not to call an attorney or the police."

Victims can report their experience to FDA via OCI's website5. Click on "Report Suspected Criminal Activity."


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