My mother in her 80's just received 4 phone calls from the Dea special agent and said that she was buying illegal drugs off the internet and she would be arrested if she didn't pay now with a credit card. Please let your parents and friends know what is happening and make sure they do not fall for this scam.

You're absolutely correct - if you had committed a crime - you wouldn't get a courtesy heads-up phone call!

More here:

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm

DEA Warns Public of Extortion Scam by DEA Special Agent Impersonators

The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the public about criminals posing as DEA special agents or other law enforcement personnel as part of an international extortion scheme.

Extortion Scam Criminal

The criminals call the victims (who in most cases previously purchased drugs over the internet or by telephone) and identify themselves as DEA agents or law enforcement officials from other agencies. The impersonators inform their victims that purchasing drugs over the internet or by telephone is illegal, and that enforcement action will be taken against them unless they pay a fine. In most cases, the impersonators instruct their victims to pay the "fine" via wire transfer to a designated location, usually overseas. If victims refuse to send money, the impersonators often threaten to arrest them or search their property. Some victims who purchased their drugs using a credit card also reported fraudulent use of their credit cards.

Impersonating a federal agent is a violation of federal law. The public should be aware that no DEA agent will ever contact members of the public by telephone to demand money or any other form of payment.

The DEA reminds the public to use caution when purchasing controlled substance pharmaceuticals by telephone or through the Internet. It is illegal to purchase controlled substance pharmaceuticals online or by telephone unless very stringent requirements are met. And, all pharmacies that dispense controlled substance pharmaceuticals by means of the internet must be registered with DEA. By ordering any pharmaceutical medications online or by telephone from unknown entities, members of the public risk receiving unsafe, counterfeit, and/or ineffective drugs from criminals who operate outside the law. In addition, personal and financial information could be compromised.

Anyone receiving a telephone call from a person purporting to be a DEA special agent or other law enforcement official seeking money should refuse the demand and report the threat using the online form below. Please include all fields, including, most importantly, a call back number so that a DEA investigator can contact you for additional information. Online reporting will greatly assist DEA in investigating and stopping this criminal activity.

I received a similar call from the DEA. Stating I was receiving illegal drugs and they are on their way to a arrest me. To save me embarrassment I could plead innocent but would have to pay.,If found innocent I would get my money back. The first clue that this was a scam was when you are told they are coming to get you. I wouldn't think you would be warned before coming to arrest you.

Just received a very rude, profanity using, pushy,young Latino speaking male caller: from a supposedly, special agent, James Zachary from the DEA with a warrant out for my arrest due to illegal drug purchases being mailed to my address coming in from the Dom Republic , must send $5,000. By western union within minutes or the DEA would arrest me. They are Outside my door, must wire money now. Send $ to:
Clerk of court:Jeison Pena Santos @ 300 Court House, Santo Domingo, Dom Republic
Wanted credit card #\cash card # just charge it to that...
Reported immediately after hanging up to our local police agency and he called the # saying who he was and not to call me back, and HE CALLED BACK THE POLICE NUMBER-started it off with swearing multiple times. This is a person of serious threat to innocent persons. Please take this seriously. I now am changing all cards

I received a phone call from this number and they said they were calling from the DEA and that my name keeps coming up in an ongoing investigation. They said I was ordering drugs over the internet and it was being smuggled to my address from the Dominican Republic. They advised an officer would be here to arrest me in 15 minutes and they were going to fly me to Washington Dc for a court date. I notified the local police in which they said it was a scam. It was unnerving since my id was recently stolen although, I knew I was not smuggling drugs but never can be sure of people who steal your identity. I received another message today threatening I have 24 hours to return their call or they were going to proceed with pressing charges on me. I called  the local DEA who said this is a scam and their next move is to try and get me to send them money and the number they want called back could also charge me a lot of money. Be Aware they are convincing.

These people have called twice today saying they are from the DEA. The first time they spoke to me and said they were on their way to arrest me for buying illegal drugs on the internet. I told them I buy deodorant on the internet from Drugstore.com but nothing else and put my husband on and they hung up. Second call my husband answered and they asked to speak to me and he said I wasn't home and what was it in regard to. They said I bought illegal prescription drugs. He asked them what kind and they didn't know what to say and then said they were coming to arrest him because he had bought cocaine on the internet. They said they would be here in 10 minutes. I called the DEA today and they said this is a scam and not to worry about it, but to report it. We reported it on their website scam alert section. He said typically they ask for money. I think we got them off their scripts and they didn't know what to do.

I received a call at 8:20 am and after saying several hellos a distorted voice came on. I asked him if he knew it was 8:00 am in the fu*****  morning and hung up. He called back with a clear connection identified himself as being a federal agent with the DEA and wanted to know if I had just cursed a federal agent. I said yep. and he threatened me with an arrest and called me a piece of s***. I told him to bring it and hug up again. I think this is some kind of scam and I didn't react to his threats.

sounds like some new scam they may be trying out aand working on. But that is just my opinion

A caller claiming to be Donna Harris from DEA asked first for my mother (deceased 9/2012) and then my father (deceased 10/2013). She claimed a package addressed to their house, and the address was correct, had been intercepted and contained an illegal substance. She said officers would explain more when they arrived to take us into custody. When I passed the phone to my sister, the caller hung up. All of the info she cited was available in my dad's recent obit and public phone records, but what's the point of the call?  Crazy. I don't understand the purpose, probably because there isn't one.

A lady called and said she was from Food and Drug Administration. She named all the big pharmacies(Walgreen's, Walmart, Target, ect.) she said they were involved in illegal drugs. She said they confiscated a package from my house and they were coming to arrest me. She started to get hostile with me and almost cursed. I hung up and called police. She called back a few times but I didn't answer.

Caller asked for Claire Queen.  When I told him no one lived here with that name he said I would be charged with conspiracy if I as lining.  Who talks like that?

This man (couldn't catch name) said he was from Food & Drug Admin.  My name came up in ongoing investigation.  If I didn't call them back that day they would come and pick me up.

The person that called from this number harassed my mother and father and they are in there 60s....