Phone scam

ComplaintsScamsU.S. Investigative Bureau, Crime Prevention

Complaint

0
V. Reid
Country: United States
Yesterday, we received a voice message on one of our cell phones.

Someone claiming to be "Officer Robert Richman", claimed that our number, name, and social security number had been referenced as part of a "complaint", and strongly suggested that we contact them back immediately.  The number he left was 936-657-4224.  The voice on the recording had a very thick foreign accent, perhaps Indian?, and sounded as if it had been mechanically altered.  We tried calling the number back, and got a recording suggesting that we give them our name and information and they would call us back.

We called several times trying to get through, each time becoming more convinced this was a scammer. We even attempted to look the agency up on Google to find out who they were.  We eventually cot through to them, and asked them directly who them were, and what agency they worked for.  The voice answering the phone, was the same voice that had left the recording. However he would not give his name, or who he worked for, and demanded that we tell him who we were, saying that their policy prohibited him from talking to anyone that concealed their identity.  He then went on to call us stupid for calling him, and demanded to know how we got his number.

This is absolutely a scam.

Comments

  • 0
    Carol
    Thank God I checked the Internet first.  I got a voice mail from a man with a thick accent named "Scott Wilson", which immediately raised a red flag.  He said he was calling from the "Bureau of Crime Investigation" and stated that he was trying to reach my relative _______ and gave my daughter's name.  He said to tell her to call him at 866-644-4788.  That was the number that showed up on my phone.  I don't answer my phone if I don't recognize the caller.  That way, I don't have to be put on the spot immediately by a caller.  Does anyone know where I could lodge a criminal complaint against this guy (who knows what his real name is)?  I saved the voice mail.
  • 0
    Noelle
    I'm on the phone with these people right now. I think asked too many questions and he put me on "hold" to get his supervisor. Now I think he has hung up.
  • 0
    Angel
    | 3 replies
    Just received a call at work.  It's been about 4-5 months since I've received one of these calls.  Heavy accent, name of Samuel Bishop with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation @ 518-689-4371.  Said I'm being investigated for a debt, which is a criminal offense.  I told him to owe money is not criminal.  He also said I should be aware of this case against me.  Told him I know nothing about this, please, please send me documentation so I know who this debt is owed to.  He says he can't do that, and there will be the sheriff at my place of work to arrest me if I do not comply.  I laughed, and told him this cannot happen...and he hung up.

    About 3 years ago I had a payday advance loan, and had repaid it within terms.  Since then, I've been harassed by these foreign speaking [***].  Cannot give me information other than what they've obtained from an application.  I do not owe, I've been in contact with the loan company and have confirmed my paid debt, and have also filed a complaint and logged within their organization.  They too, have confirmed they are aware of this scam.

    It is a scam...do not succumb to their belligerence and arrogance.  It is not criminal to be in debt.  A court case goes through court, not over the phone line.  Don't back down, challenge their every word...
    • 0
      tj replies to Angel
      Did you apply directly with the lender, or through some payday loan lead generation sites?

      Those sites appear to be selling their "lead" data to both legitimate (if you can call it that) paydya lenders, and these scammers.

      What often also happens is that people apply on several sites, and some of them are phony, run by the scams themselves.
    • 0
      HandyHelper replies to Angel
      | 1 reply
      You are right, owing money is not a punishable criminal offence.

      But, next time they call you, inform them that fraudulently representing an american official is, however, extremely illegal.

      Tell them you are tracking their number as they speak and beg them to stay on the phone with you so you can acquire their exact location.

      Worked for me, and I haven't heard from 'em sense.
      • 0
        HandyHelper replies to HandyHelper
        Since*
  • 0
    tyler
    i had the same call saying he was officer david jones he called from518 689 4371 looked the number up it is comeing out of albaney new york
  • 0
    SHANNON DEVUYST
    WHO DO I CALL TO REPORT THIS? GOT A CALL ALONG THE SAME PREMISE AS ABOVE. IT IS OBVIOUS THEY ARE USING FICTICIOUS NAMES. THE "SUPERVISOR" HANDLING THE "CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION" SAID HIS NAME WAS FRANK HARRIS AND I TOLD HIM HE DIDNT SOUND LIKE A FRANK HARRIS WITH HIS INDIAN ACCENT. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. EMAIL shannondevuyst@yahoo.com  RULE OF THUMB. YOU NEVER HAVE TO SEND MONEY TO GET MONEY.
  • 0
    f.m.
    | 1 reply
    I got a phone call today instructing me to return a call to Kyle Cooper @ 619-924-0448 with the Financial Crime Investigations of California.  Referring to some payday loan between 2007 and 2012, according to information from an affidavit that he could not give me a copy of because its not a part of his responsibility to make sure I know what i'm going to jail for; for taking out a loan and not paying back. Further, he tried to convince me to pay 1245.69 today and all of this will disappear. People please be aware. My next phone call/email will be to FTC/FBI/ and whomever else needs to b informed.
    • 0
      HandyHelper replies to f.m.
      There's no such thing as debtors prison.

      you can not go to jail for not paying a loan off.


      But you can, however, receive annoying phone calls for the rest of your life.

      As well as horrible credit ratings.


      Which in my opinion, is just as bad.
  • 0
    crazycooter08@gmail.com
    I know these arubs called me and said there criminal charges            against  my social security number becuse i aplide for a payday lone and was dinied and they said it was check frode i don't  even have a checking account and i received. No funds they asked me for my lawyers number how do we stop this
  • 0
    crazycooter
    There number is951-468-0081 if any bodie has the. Same number let me know
  • 0
    Anonymous
    Do not give these people your SS number!! They call pretending to represent a loan office, giving you some bogus american name and the name of their "Loan company"  
    Guaranteeing you a minimum of a thousand dollar loan.

    They somehow acquired all of our information except social security number.

    I caught on to the scam as soon as I heard this mans thick Indian accent,
    So we gave him some made up numbers for SS and sure enough, he hung up immediately after receiving it.

    Jokes on him though!  

    The number we were called from is   950-619-6636

    Tell them you are on to their scam, and block their number if need be.
  • 0
    t
    its a scam they called me today and said they are from the US Crime and are sending someone to arrest for a loan i never took out, they claim it is a crime, i told them if they were in US they would know you cant get arrest for a loan, even if I did take it out. They hung up, I called back and they picked up and hung up again. the number is 330-236-3525
  • 0
    crime victim
    I have been getting harrassing phone calls for years.  I finally, after years of wondering what was going on learned it was my own family.  They wanted money from me.  Watch your phone calls.  I live with the same poeple calling me.  They have been stealing from me for years.  I can get nothing done about it since they stole all my money,  They stolen my mom's social security check, and after she died they got me to move in and now are stealing mine.  I finally leaned who it was.  The phone calls were form my own family.....all for money.  You would think the cops would do something and cops never care when a crime is done unless it boosts their own paycheck.  All the little people get kicked aside.  Stealing money from diasabled people is a crime. Better yet, they gace away my socisl seciruty number to a freind of there who worked using it for two years.  The IRS will do nothing.  Now since I collectted Socail Secuirty, and they  gavev away my SS number to a friend of there social secuirty wants the money back.  It was not me who used all the money.  My family has stolen all I have and I never saw it coming.   I would tell them about the incoming harrassing calls so they would make more.  Scare me with the calls and then take my money.  Be aware of the hustell.  TO me it is a crime but I can get nothin done.
  • 0
    Ms Vic
    | 2 replies
    I had a guy with a thick accent call me from 1-305-728-8667 saying he was Sgt. James White from the United States Crime Bureau.  He said he had a warrant for my arrest and I said oh really you are a scammer just like the other two people who called.  He said this is not a scam and that my case number was #6502BC and that in the next 24 hours I would be arrested at my work place and I laughed and said good luck with that one as I don't work.  He started to get pissed cause I kept asking him questions like where are you from he said Miami FL.  He said this is no laughing matter that I had taken out a loan that the initial amount was $500.  I interruped and asked for the date I took this loan out, at first he wouldn't answer and then finally he mummbled something the only part I could make out 2012.  Money Cash Advance has a lawsuit against you.  I said good bring it on and he said this is a very serious matter and that he is going to hang up and call the authorities to have me arrested.  I told him to bring it on and that the officer better have a copy of the papers for the loan.  He said I don't have to give them information you will be arrested in the next 30 minutes and I told him to bring it on and he got really pissed off yelling at me that he coming to blow my head off.  I called my police department and officer came out and made a report and they are going to patrol more around the area where I live and if I seen anyone acting suspicious to call them immediately.
    • 0
      silver city nm replies to Ms Vic
      The call came in from a #214-446-1861 saying that he was officed Richard Brown an that I needed to cal this an talk to hes boss James white I repproted.them to my police departmemt an they took..it to the FBI
    • 0
      Amy replies to Ms Vic
      I just got a call from the number 872-588-4756 from a Officer David Jones and he gave me the case number 6502bc and said there was a lawsuit against and then transfered me to his supervisor wirh no results just a long silent.
  • 0
    MJJ78613
    I get these calls all the time - and dont answer my phone unless it's from someone I know.  The US Crime Bureau personnel are all not middle eastern - and have accents.  DUHHHHH.  I get these calls everyday and dont answer them.  This is all a scam and they wont stop no matter if you change your phone #.
  • 0
    Marie2603
    I got a phone call from a Officer Richard Brown, I was curious at first he said that he has a complaint against my SSN. I called back and he said that if I didnt pay there would be a warrant issued for my arrest and so I asked where to send the money and he told me to get a green dot money pak. I immedetly got suspicious when he said that. I asked how do I know this isnt a scam that I wanted proof and he said he couldnt until he got the first $300. I looked up the nummber and unlisted, looked up the united states crime bureau cant find it, instead I found this web page. The number they are calling from is 305-728-8667.

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