Just received call from 313-355-8134, man claiming to be agent Thomas Gorman from Detroit DEA.  Accused me of purchasing illegal drugs from online fake pharmacy & would be jailed 10 yr and fined $500,000 unless I paid a fine of $1000-$2000 to clear criminal record or be taken to federal court in Detroit..When I asked for more details, he raised his voice to me and told me to shut up and listen..As soon as he mentioned online payment I told him I would take my chances at trial & he yelled "see u in court" and hung up..  What a dip stick!!  If u get a call from anyone claiming to be DEA, hang up & call1-877-792-2873 to report these people.

I received a call from a man claiming to be Special Agent Thomas Gorman of the DEA (313) 355-8134. He claimed that they had proof that I was involved in illegal purchase of drugs through the internet.  I immediately caught on that it was a scam so I told him that I didn't think the DEA would be giving me the heads up if I committed a crime.  Anyway, he threatened to send agents to my house (which by the way, he did have my address) and I told him to go ahead and do so.  I placed a call to the Detroit branch of the DEA and they advised that it was a scam that was world wide.  If you receive any calls like this one please report to 1-877-792-2873 (fraud division for DEA)

Got a threatening call from Thomas Gorman (sp), 202-241-0206, also claiming to be a DEA agent telling me that if I paid $1820 in cash, then I wouldn't be arrested for drug trafficking. Called the local DEA office in my state & they told me no DEA agent is going to call you on the phone. They COME TO YOUR DOOR! Told me to report the incident to http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm
Report Extortion Scam: 1-877-792-2873

I received a voice mail message on Saturday, August 11 at 9:26 AM from this guy at this phone number 202-241-0206 extension 225 saying that his name was James Burns from the DEA.  I've gotten a few annoying calls from people saying that they were from the DEA and you know it's a scam because if the DEA wants you they will come and get you.  They don't leave voice mail messages and wait for you to contact them.  This is really annoying.  If I were faint at heart, I'd really be upset after receiving a message like this.

Received a muffled voicemail indicating we needed to call back regarding an ongoing investigation.  Called back but there was no vmail.  Suddenly received a call on a different phone line from an Anthony Moretta - representing himself as a DEA agent, indicating first my husband and then I was purchasing medications from overseas. I told him he was mistaken. His story went on that he had proof as U.S. Customs agents had intercepted a package for my husband. I asked what was in the package. He mentioned Hydro-something, Phen-Phen, and then some other nonsense. He then suggested that these were ordered for me.  He referenced "proof of signature" from FedEx in the last year, and he was going to send police to our address - that we had better get an attorney.  I responded that he was crazy - we have not even been in our home for over a year due to a fire. He got angry - told me NOT to call a federal agent crazy - "don't ever call me crazy".  He then demanded an address where we are RIGHT now so that he could send federal agents immediately to pursue the matter, unless due to our clean record he could arrange parole.?!?! He continued to rant and threaten which was very intimidating. I demanded verification. He gave me a certain web address to confirm his DEA credentials, which sounded bogus, so I googled him instead, and found dozens of references to this scam. I told him I was onto his scam, and to leave us alone, hanging up.  DON'T LET HIS THREATS SCARE YOU - and DO NOT RETURN ANY CALLS FROM THIS CRAZY MAN!

Received a call from Special Agent James Burns at 202 241 0206 claiming he was calling regarding an ongoing investigation regarding the purchase of online medication.  I was taken completely off guard and with 4 loud kids in the car was unable to really understand what he was saying other than there will be an arrest warrant issued for me and i would be prosecuted unless i started "telling him the truth". He told me i might want to get a lawyer.  I didn't sleep all night i was so upset. In the morning I  called my local DEA office who informed me of the scam. Unbelievable. I seriously can't believe i wasted so much time and energy worrying about nothing.

There is a pattern to the a holes......there's a flurry of activity with a number, then they stop using for a few months and then start using it again....they try and look as official as possible to scare you into sending them money...do not do this.....the government is not interested in what you have done, they are interested in catching these criminals.  Turn any voice recordings over to the DEA if you have them....people have committed suicide because of threats made by this crime ring.  Do not listen to them, report them.

I received a phone call today from "James Burns' out of the DC office of the Drug Enforcement Agency.  I knew it was a scam phone call because my name is Michelle and in the message he called me Michael.  Said I needed to call hime back immediately or I would be arrested!  What a crock of crap.

Just called 5 minutes ago,  Impersonating a DEA agent -- says he is agent , steven martinez, ongoing investigation, blab blab blab, my name came up yadayadayada....i'm supposed to call him back...blah blah...this is the same old crap -- the other number they are using is 202-239-28860 -- majick jacking into a 202 number to make it look official -- they are trying to scare you into extorting money....i don't answer, just let them make a recording i can use against them and build a case.  DON'T SEND THESE A HOLES MONEY.  They are criminals, not the government.

I received the same scam call that others received.  I recognized pretty much immediately that the call was a scam, but stayed on the phone for a minute or two to see what kind of scam they were running.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I had to take another call, so hung up on the guy.  I did call him back about an hour later, and was surprised that he answered "DEA".  He then went on, as he apparently did with others, about how I was in trouble about illegally purchasing hydrocodone online back in 2006, and asked if I knew that it was illegal to do this.  I told  him that it was irrelevant whether or not I knew this because I made no such purchases ever.  I then asked him the real purpose of his call, saying that if he had a real case, he wouldn't be calling me, but would send a person or legal papers to my house.  He then asked I wanted him to send papers to my house, and I told him that what I wanted was, again, irrelevant, and told him to follow standard DEA protocol, whereupon he became angry.  I then hung up on him, and phoned my local DEA office in NJ to report the call.  They are, of course, quite aware of scams like this, but I encouraged them to take appropriate action to hold those impersonating federal agency officials accountable.

Similar call "DEA" yesterday/today insisting an agent/threats...Glad I checked this through Internet

I just got a call from someone from this number claiming to be DEA.  I called the number back and the same guy answered.  They tried to tell me I order some pain killing drug in 2007, what a bunch of bull.

I also got a message from this number claiming to be DEA.  This is the second time they've called me so I knew it was a scam.

yep ....just got one.....hasn't everyone figured this out?  and the caller id , of course, said washington dc....to give it some authenticity in look....love they idea of singing...I can't sing on key, so it will be great revenge for interrupting a quiet night for me.  can't these idiots get real jobs?  scamming and harassing people was not something i went to school for!

hello,
I did contact my lawyer who also has three other woman he has had calls from the same circumstance.  

Out of control and I have two close friends who are DEA agents that are going to report this as well as look into it.  These men and woman will be the ones who are jailed and fined hard.

Please do not talk to then, just hang up.

Anonymous DEA

From Agent, Robert Corsa regarding online rxs. Advised me to get an attorney b/c charges were being filed against me

Just got a call and he said very unapproatite convo

He's changed his name to Mark Walter, but the message (left by voicemail) is the same. Thanks to all who report this kind of crap.

I just got a call form the same ANI and he identified himself as a DEA Agent. the sound quality was bad so I gave him my Hone number. he never called me back so ic alled hima nd got a ring-no-answer. He called me backa nd said that hew as having phone issues and would call alter. 2 hours and no call. Thanks for the posts - I was wondering what was going on...

I got one of these calls many many months ago and I too was on the computer and just typed in "202-241-0206" after his first attempt and then I just messed with him all day. They stopped answering but I was sure to fill up his answering machine with by blasting !@#$%^&* away and telling him he needs to jump off the tallest building he can find for doing what he does for a living and I just kept going to the point where I could not think of any more cuss words LOL.
Then I began to sing songs to the machine. I sang for hours about how evil they all were and well, I was laughing MY butt off at what this must've sounded like to the guys working there.
So today I got the 2nd call from him and told him to take his spoofcard and shove it.
But they are so stupid they didn't even USE a spoof card!!!
So *69 gets you the number no matter what comes up on your caller ID.
So I've called him back 5 times so far, but the pig keeps hanging up on me!

same call...if you get one notify the DEA....this is not about something YOU did;legitimate pharamacy info can get hacked on line or pharamacies have info stolen from them along with medications in breakins; these criminals then turn around and take stolen info and use it to try and extort money from you, despite the fact you've done nothing wrong. Time to shut them down.

This guy called me at work -- i have never ordered anything on line -- anyway, i hung up on him.  He called back immediately and left a really obnoxious voicemail, accusing me of all kinds of things.  Since he left the recording, i notified my department's inspector general, who now have possession of this voicemail and they are going to contact the Justice Department to see what can be done about this jerk.

yep, this guy, "Agent Randall" got some brass ones -- i hung up on him and he called back on my answering machine with expletives that can't be printed and how i was in big trouble as he was a federal officer..,yadayada....i'm going to blast him with an air horn if he dares to call back....he's a reall a hole, trying to scare the crap out of people -- this scam is unbelievably old.

I received a message on my work phone yesterday from DEA Agent "Christopher Randal" stating they had a search warrent for my home and a warrent for my arrest and that I needed to call him back relating to purchasing drugs from oversea's.  I called my good friend who works for the police department and she forwarded this site to me as well as a document from the US DEA warning people of this scam.  You can report these calls directly to the US DEA by calling 1-877-792-2873.

same guy, impersonating a federal agent -- DEA is on to him -- DO NOT GIVE HIM ANY MONEY -- GET AN AIRHORN OUT AND BLAST IT IN HIS EAR.

now he's officer christopher randall and he's a real piece of work....what a jerk.

same crap as above -- just hung up on him

Get calls all the time asking for someone I do not know. They get angry when you say they have the wrong number and threaten if you tell them to go away. Now starting to use the word "agent" from something/somewhere when they call. Just called three times in one minute

Its just a scam anyone that asks for money to pay a fine over the phone,You got to know its a scam. I told them to come and arrest me so they hung up.

FDA NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Jan. 7, 2011

Media Inquiries: Christopher Kelly, 301-796-4676 christopher.kelly@fda.hhs.gov

Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning the public about criminals posing as FDA special agents and other law enforcement personnel as part of a continued  international extortion scam.

The criminals call the victims -- who in most cases previously purchased drugs over the Internet or via "telepharmacies" -- and identify themselves as FDA special agents or other law enforcement officials. The criminals inform the victims that purchasing drugs over the Internet or the telephone is illegal, and that law enforcement action will be pursued unless a fine or fee ranging from $100 to $250,000 is paid. Victims often also have fraudulent transactions placed against their credit cards.

The criminals always request the money be sent by wire transfer to a designated location, usually in the Dominican Republic. If victims refuse to send money, they are often threatened with a search of their property, arrest, deportation, physical harm and/or incarceration.

"Impersonating an FDA official is a violation of federal law," said Dara Corrigan, the FDA?s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. ?FDA special agents and other law enforcement officials are not authorized to impose or collect criminal fines. Only a court can take such action.?

In most instances, victims of extortion-related calls have also received telephone solicitations for additional pharmaceutical purchases from other possibly related, illegal entities located overseas. The extortionists use customer lists complete with extensive personal information provided through previous purchase transactions. These include names, addresses, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, purchase histories and credit card account numbers.

Typically, these criminals use telephone numbers that change constantly and make it appear as though their calls originate in the United States.

No known victim has been approached in person by a law enforcement impersonator associated with this scheme.  

The FDA?s Office of Criminal Investigations, with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, with the support of various U.S. Attorneys, are pursuing multiple national and international criminal investigations.

Arrests have been made and additional prosecutions are pending; however, the scheme is likely to continue. The FDA has issued similar warnings in the past:

§  FDA Warns Public of Extortion Scam by FDA Impersonators1 (11/12/2008)

§  FDA Warns Public of Continued Extortion Scam by FDA Impersonators2 (12/29/2009)

Victims of this scheme who have suffered monetary loss through the payment of funds in response to an extortion call from a person purporting to be an FDA or other law enforcement official regarding illegal pharmaceutical transactions may obtain a victim questionnaire by contacting the FDA?s Office of Criminal Investigations3 and clicking ?Report Suspected Criminal Activity.?

Anyone receiving a purported official document on agency letterhead may verify its authenticity by contacting that organization directly via a publicly available phone number. Additionally, all federal agencies use email addresses with a ?gov? email extension.

The FDA also reminds consumers that pharmaceutical products offered online and by telephone by sources of unknown origin can pose a substantial health risk. Products recovered during this investigation that were purchased from online or telephone sources have been found to contain trace amounts of heroin, other undisclosed and potentially harmful active pharmaceutical ingredients, or no active ingredient at all. Purchases should only be made from licensed pharmacies located in the United States. In addition to the increased risk of purchasing unsafe and ineffective drugs from Web sites operating outside the law, personal data may be compromised.

For more on unlawful drug sales on the Internet, see Protecting Yourself4.

Questions and Answers
How did these people obtain my information?

They likely obtained the victim?s information based on a previous online or telepharmacy transaction, or from a submitted medical questionnaire. These instances could have occurred years ago, with personal information now on customer lists trafficked by these criminal groups.  These customer lists can contain tens of thousands of names and a substantial amount of self-reported data provided by consumers during previous transactions.  Typically, victims are being contacted by multiple unrelated groups, often for different purposes. (extortion, selling illegal pharmaceuticals, etc.)

How do I make the calls stop?

The extorters, just like the majority of telephone solicitors for illegal prescription medication, are based overseas and use voice over internet protocol (VOIP) telephone numbers, most commonly ?Magic Jack?.  These services provide the extorters with the flexibility to constantly change their phone numbers and select ones with U.S. area codes.  If the victims  change whatever number(s) were used to contact them, and do not engage in any additional risky pharmaceutical transactions, the threatening phone calls and associated telephone solicitations for pharmaceuticals should cease.

What proactive steps can victims take?

Individuals who purchase medication online or via tele-pharmacies are frequently victims of credit card fraud, since this is how the medication is often purchased.  Victims may want to consider alerting their applicable financial institutions to ensure that identity theft has not occurred.

Why is FDA only asking victims who have lost money to contact the agency?The most effective way to track these criminals is to investigate the permanent record established when money transfers take place.

Have individuals been arrested?

Yes.  However, this scheme will likely not be eradicated and instead will continue to evolve.  For example, the extorters now occasionally reference other countries, such as Costa Rica, instead of the DR, as means to avoid all of the publicity regarding this scheme.

Am I going to be able to get my money back?

In almost all instances victims will not be able to recoup losses.  Multiple criminal groups employ this scheme, principally from overseas, and large monetary seizures are not anticipated.

Am I in danger?

In terms of physical danger, no victim has ever been approached in person, and the vast majority of these callers, regardless of their intent, are based overseas.  Their use of ?police-type scanners?, law enforcement language and fictitious documents are attempts at a false sense of legitimacy. Extorters also occasionally reference cars parked on a victim?s street -- information that can be obtained online at various Web sites, as a way to frighten individuals into believing the extorters are near their residence.  If an individual feels threatened for his or her personal safety, immediately contact the appropriate local enforcement agency.

Is it possible that these callers are part of some ?secret? investigative group, and FDA is just not aware of it?

No.  Law enforcement officials from both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic are pursuing these criminals.   More information regarding this scheme is available on FDA and DEA Web sites, or through online searches.  Extradition proceedings  between countries require close cooperation and often a formal treaty, and this often takes an extended period of time to complete.

http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/ucm239309.htm