Fake FBI Agent Targets Resident Claiming She Is Under Investigation

PALOS PARK, IL — Palos Park police are warning residents not to fall for scammers calling people up and pretending to be with the FBI or other federal agencies.

Around 4:55 p.m. Monday, officers assisted a 75-year-old woman from Palos Park who was contacted by a fake FBI agent claiming that her name showed up in an investigation into fraudulent bank transactions.

The scammer also tried to get the woman’s social security number and other financial information.

“She realized it was a scam and called us,” said Chief Joe Miller, of the Palos Park Police Department.

The FBI has reported an increase in reports of scammers falsely representing themselves as FBI agents. There are many versions of the government impersonation scam. Typically, scammers will use an aggressive tone and refuse to speak to or leave a message with anyone other than their targeted victim.

The scammers also urge victims not to tell anyone else, including family, friends or financial institutions, the FBI said in a news release. In this new version of the scam, victims are asked to withdraw money as either cash or gold and give that to a courier who arrives at their home.

If you think you are a victim of this, or any other online scam please file a report with your local law enforcement agency and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.

“If someone calls and says they’re from Palos Park police, the FBI, Cook County sheriff or the Illinois State Police – hang up,” Miller said. “None of use are going to be calling your for your bank account or social security information.”