FBI Boston warning New Englanders of telephone scam

BOSTON, Mass. (WLNE) — The FBI Boston Division said it is warning New Englanders to beware of a telephone scam in which the caller impersonates law enforcement or government agencies to extort money.

According to FBI Boston, the scammers will typically tell the recipient of the call that charges have been filed, or will be filed, against them, and that it will cost “thousands of dollars in fees or court costs to resolve the matter.”

The scammer will usually tell the person to send “settlement money” or payments through prepaid cards, gift cards, wire transfers, and cash through mail or cryptocurrency ATMs, according to FBI Boston.

The Boston Division of the FBI reported that Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island received 778 complaints for these scam calls in 2024, totaling a loss of almost $13 million.

The complaints were spread out across the following states:

• Maine: 98 victims lost $1,643,432
• Massachusetts: 507 victims lost $9,511,181
• New Hampshire: 106 victims lost $1,646,059
• Rhode Island: 67 victims lost $147,880

The FBI said it will never do the following:

• Demand payment, threaten arrest, or request personal information over the phone or through email
• Request payment through prepaid cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency ATMs to avoid arrest
• Ask citizens to liquidate assets into cash or gold or silver bars
• Ask citizens to use cash to help catch a criminal
• Call about “frozen” Social Security numbers or inheritances

FBI Boston provided the following tips to prevent falling for a scam:

• Be wary of answering phone calls from unknown numbers
• Do not send money to an unknown person
• Do not give personal information, including Social Security numbers, over the phone

Anyone who believes they were a victim to the scam is advised to cut contact with the scammer, notify financial institutions, file a police report, and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.