SAN ANTONIO – The Department of Justice said it has received multiple reports of individuals claiming to represent the agency and targeting the elderly.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate scam artists are representing themselves as DOJ investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the person or leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The DOJ said this is a scam tactic and strongly encourages the public to not provide personal information during these calls.
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According to the agency, the caller’s return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the DOJ’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an “investigator,” who attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
Jessica Hart, director of the Office for Victims of Crime, said the fraudulent calls are exploiting the elderly for financial gain.
“Phone scams are an ugly and pervasive act of victimization," Hart said. "The scams being reported to our National Elder Fraud Hotline are especially heinous because they show the perpetrators are preying upon one of the most vulnerable segments of our society – the elderly. As if this were not despicable enough, the scammers do so posing as employees of the Justice Department, usurping public trust in the agency that serves as a bastion of fairness and lawfulness while these scams exploit the elderly for financial gain. The first step to identifying these criminals is to have their crimes reported.”
Individuals who have received these calls are encouraged not to provide personal information and to report these scams to the FTC via their website or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action by clicking here.