FBI Scam Calls Targeting South Jersey Residents: Officials

SOUTH JERSEY — Scammers are targeting South Jersey residents by pretending to be local FBI agents and demanding payment for fake federal charges, the FBI said.

The callers claim to be with the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency in Cherry Hill, according to the FBI's Philadelphia office. They even know the intended victim's name, background, and personal cell phone number, according to officials.

Residents said they have been scammed out of money, gift cards, and even their personally identifiable information, federal agents said.

Local police are sharing this information, too, and warning residents what to look out for. In these scam cases, officials say, the caller claims to be an FBI agent "and demands money—for school loans, back taxes, even unpaid parking tickets."

The FBI said that real agents do not call or email people to demand money or threaten arrest.

Victims of phone or online scams can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.

To avoid becoming a scam victim, officials offer these tips:

• Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls.
• Never give money or personal information to someone with whom you don’t have ties and did not initiate contact.
• Trust your instincts: if an unknown caller makes you uncomfortable or says things that don’t sound right, hang up.

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