A strange phone call from a government agent asks for money? Definitely a scam

Recently, I received a call on my personal cellphone from a number I did not recognize. Caller ID indicated it was from Wisconsin. I chose not to answer, and soon saw I had a new voice message. When I listened to the message, I was informed that the call was from the U.S. Treasury and that ignoring the message would be considered “an intentional second attempt to avoid the initial appearance before a magistrate judge or a grand jury for a federal criminal offense.” The message also said it was “the final attempt to reach me,” and I was given a number to call an “agent” to resolve the matter.

I did not call back. If I had, I’m sure that agent would have needed money or personal information from me, because this call was a scam. I am a federal prosecutor, and I know the U.S. Treasury does not call and leave such messages.

Indeed, the call does not make any sense: No one makes an “initial appearance” before a grand jury, the body that charges crimes in the federal criminal justice system. There are legal ways to make sure people appear in front of a magistrate judge or a grand jury, but they do not include threatening phone calls.

Last year I received a call from a retired federal judge who had been contacted by a woman in another state about a letter purportedly written by the judge seeking money from her. Like the phone call, the letter was a scam. Federal judges do not write letters to citizens threatening judicial action unless money is paid.

I also have elderly family members who have received calls from people claiming to be part of the Social Security system saying that their Social Security numbers had been compromised, causing the government to lose money. They were told that unless they immediately transferred thousands of dollars in accordance with the caller’s directions, they would be prosecuted by the U.S. government.

And most recently, one of my daughters received robocalls from the “Department of Social Security,” saying her Social Security number had been compromised and she needed to provide certain personal information.

As your U.S. attorney for Kansas, I want to emphasize that the U.S. government, its agencies and its officials do not do any of these things. These are all scams, often (but not always) targeting the elderly, and always trying to invoke the fear factor of government power and authority to intimidate people into paying money to criminals. Please do not succumb to these tactics.

From July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, the Department of Justice participated in enforcement actions in more than 420 criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. The Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative reports that 13% — almost 1 in 8 — of older Americans are victims of financial fraud each year.

There are some simple steps you can take against such scams. First and foremost, help your family members protect themselves. Persuade them that they do not have to answer the phone just because it rings. If they do not recognize a number, or the caller ID is blocked, let it go to voicemail. If the message purports to be from any part of the U.S. government, do not call back. You also can block the number from calling your phone again.

Unfortunately, there is a limit to what law enforcement can do, given the number of scammers and their abilities to conceal their identities and operate from almost anywhere in the world. But you can report these calls, which at a minimum may help us warn the community about a spreading scam.

The Federal Trade Commission has a website where you can file a complaint at ftccomplaintassistant.gov, and there is information about other resources on the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative webpage at justice.gov/elderjustice.

Just remember: The U.S. government does not call people asking for money or personal information.

Stephen McAllister is U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas.

This story was originally published January 13, 2020 at 5:03 AM with the headline "A strange phone call from a government agent asks for money? Definitely a scam."