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Anyone receiving a call from someone claiming to be from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and seeking personal information should just hang up, according to the agency.
CBP has received numerous reports of unsolicited calls from scammers posing as government officers using actual CBP employee names and phone numbers, and in some instances, fake case numbers and badge numbers. The scammers ask that the target provide personal details, like their name, address or Social Security number.
According to agency officials, CBP will never call anyone asking for money, bank account numbers or Social Security numbers. Here are other things to know:
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CBP never uses gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers.
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CBP will not make threats that law enforcement is on the way or promise money for information.
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Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can make their phone numbers look real even if they’re not.
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Check with CBP if you’re unsure about whether a call or email is real.
Never call back phone numbers in caller ID, or left in voicemails, emails, or social media messages. Instead, type the agency name into a search bar and click on their webpage to find contact information.
Phone scams can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission online.