"Mr. Gibbons" called me about 4 days ago....said I had a warrant and needed to go to court...would be arrested shortly but he would call the prosecuter and let them know I was eligible for a release program if I wired 1200.00 to them immediately....so I did. Was very scared at the time and didnt think clearly. Went to Western Union and wired 1200.00 to some lady in the Dominican Republic within the hour.
This was on Saturday. Sunday I was thinking a little more clearly and did my research, including reading the posts here and on the DEA website.
Monday comes and I get another call. Mr "Gibbons" reports to me that the money I wired needed to be in "Local Currency" and my money would be returned but I needed to send a partial payment immediately until then. I told him he isnt getting anymore money and read to him what it said about phone scams of this sort on the DEA website. He assured me he was in the United States and I told him he should just quit with the B.S. and he isnt getting anymore money whatsoever.
Wednesday I get another call from a similiar number....some guy left a message saying he was from the FDA and that I needed to call. I called back and told them they were full of it. Had to leave a message as they didnt answer but the answering machine had the same foriegn voice w a thick accent.
I also got another call from a weird number, probably one of those online pharmacies that auto-dial, based out of India or whatever.
Once you send them money it obviously doesnt stop...so I changed my number.
After eading all the posts and the alert on the DEA website, the clincher for me was when Mr "Gibbons" called me first thing Monday morning wanting more money as the 1200.00 I had sent prior was not in the correct currency. It was in U.S. dollars. (But of course it would be returned in a couple of days by mail) This is nothing but a scam...hopefully someone will read this and learn from my mistake.

got a call from this number.

acted as dea agent, requesting $1200 fine.

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

cALLER STATES HE IS A DEA AGENT AAND IS REQUESTING MONEY IN LIEU OF AN ARREST WARRANT BEING ISSUED.  IT IS A SCAM.

The guy will say he is from the DEA.  He says he will not come after you if you wire money.  Totally bogust but he talks a good game until you start asking him real questions.  He will give you his badge number, bogust, he told me his name was Agent Gibbons and if you call this number they answer phone as DEA.  Do not send them any money.  Ive reported this number to the Feds but don't know if they will do anything or if they have the manpower.  Go to the web site http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm for specific information.

202 241 5430  These people are scammers.  Go to DEA web site for more information.  Do not wire them any money.  Scam.

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 lnternet 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.

MIAMI - DEA Agents, with assistance from its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, arrested 22 people and seized over $2.2 million in cash and 70 vehicles, including numerous exotic cars, on Wednesday, February 23 in a sweeping takedown of rogue pain clinics in South Florida. These arrests are the first in Operation Pill Nation resulting from 340 undercover buys of prescription drugs from over 60 doctors in more than 40 ?pill mills? conducted in the past year.

Among those arrested were doctors who were conspiring to distribute and dispense more than 660,000 dosage units of the Schedule II narcotic oxycodone. In addition, several defendants were charged with multiple counts of conspiracy and money laundering offenses.

?Prescription drug abuse is our country?s fastest growing drug problem, and pill mills such as those in Florida are fueling much of that growth. As a result, citizens in communities across Florida and around the nation are faced with growing drug addiction that is accompanied by pain, suffering, and even death,? said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. ?Rogue doctors who run these operations violate their professional oaths and are, in fact, drug dealers. Florida today is ?ground zero? in the fight against pill mills, and we are determined to continue to aggressively pursue those who are responsible for this nationwide epidemic.?

According to the indictment, the defendants operated the clinics as pill mills that offered patients prescriptions for oxycodone and other controlled substances where there was no legitimate medical purpose and not within the usual course of professional medical practice. The indictment alleges that the defendants marketed the clinics through more than 1,600 internet sites, required immediate cash payments from patients for a clinic ?visit fee,? directed the patients to obtain MRIs that the defendants knew to be inferior, over-aggressively interpreted MRIs in order to justify prescriptions, and falsified patients? urine tests for a fee to justify the highly addictive pain medications.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Wifredo A .Ferrer stated, ?According to recent estimates, Florida prescribes ten times more oxycodone pills than all other states combined. Operation Snake Oil [an OCDETF investigation conducted as part of Operation Pill Nation] is part of our concerted effort to keep South Florida from drowning in pill mills. Working together with our state and local partners, we are shutting down these shady storefronts through the systematic prosecution of doctors, clinic owners and operators who deal drugs while hiding behind a medical license.?

According to the indictment, demand for oxycodone has grown to epidemic proportions in South Florida and other parts of the United States, where drug dealers can sell a 30 mg oxycodone pill on the street for $10 to $30 or more. Oxycodone has a high potential for abuse and can be crushed and snorted or dissolved and injected to get an immediate high. This abuse can lead to addiction, overdose, and sometimes death.

Additional agencies participating in Operation Pill Nation were the Palm Beach Sheriff?s Office, Broward Sheriff?s Office, the Miami Dade Police Department, U.S. Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Hollywood Police Department, Palm Beach Gardens Police Department, Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Insurance Fraud, Florida Department of Health, and Florida Highway Patrol. The Operation Pill Nation investigations are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney?s Office, Palm Beach State Attorney?s Office, Miami Dade State Attorney?s Office and Broward County State Attorney?s Office.

If you're gonna try to look like you're different people,y ou shouldn't post so close together, timewise.  

Anyone who really wants the facts, go the DEA website itself.  They have tons of info.
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm

this is the real DEA. they have work me with in shutting down fake pharmacy pretending to be legit.
OCI divsion gave me a chance for my freedom. lets get together as a nation and be co perative they sure help me.

Office of Criminal Investigation
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
FDA?s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)

The DEA has 20 domestic field divisions throughout the United States, including Puerto Rico, Dominican republic, each managed by a Special Agent in Charge (SAC). Subordinate to these divisions are resident offices, district offices, and posts of duty, with at least one office located in every state. In addition, the DEA manages a multiagency intelligence center in El Paso, Texas, and conducts training at Quantico, Virginia. The DEA also maintains seven domestic drug analytical laboratories and a special drug testing facility in McLean, Virginia. Overseas, the DEA maintains 71 offices in 44 foreign countries that are staffed by 338 Special Agents, 34 Intelligence Analysts, 6 Diversion Investigators, and 106 support position

DEA?s Third National Prescription Drug Take-Back Event Collects 188.5 Tons

NOV 03 - (WASHINGTON, D.C.) ? Americans participating in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration?s (DEA?s) third National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on October 29 turned in more than 377,086 pounds (188.5 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,327 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories. When the results of the three Take Back Days to date are combined, the DEA and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed 995,185 pounds (498.5 tons) of medication from circulation in the past 13 months.

?The amount of prescription drugs turned in by the American public during the past three Take-Back Day events speaks volumes about the need to develop a convenient way to rid homes of unwanted or expired prescription drugs,? said DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. ?DEA remains hard at work to establish just such a drug disposal process, and will continue to offer take-back opportunities until the proper regulations are in place.

?With the continued support and hard work of our more than 3,945 state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners, these three events have dramatically reduced the risk of prescription drug diversion and abuse, and increased awareness of this critical public health issue,? said Leonhart.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, enough prescription painkillers were prescribed in 2010 to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for one month.  Often, some of these medicines languish in the home and are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high?more Americans currently abuse prescription drugs than the number of those using cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, and inhalants combined, according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Studies show that the majority of teens who abuse prescription drugs obtain them from family and friends for free, including from the home medicine cabinet. Many Americans simply do not know how to properly dispose of their unused or expired medicine, often flushing it down the toilet or throwing it away.  These methods can pose both safety and environmental hazards.

Four days after DEA?s first Take-Back Day event September 25, 2010, Congress passed legislation amending the Controlled Substances Act to allow the DEA to develop a permanent process for people to safely and conveniently dispose of their prescription drugs.  After President Obama signed the Safe and Secure Drug Disposal Act of 2010 on October 12, DEA immediately began developing regulations for a more permanent solution.
The DEA?s Take-Back events are a significant piece of the White House?s prescription drug abuse prevention strategy entitled Epidemic: Responding to America?s Prescription Drug Abuse Crisis developed and promoted by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Purging America?s home medicine cabinets of unwanted or expired medications is one of four action items outlined in the strategy for reducing prescription drug abuse and diversion. The other action items include education of health care providers, patients, parents and youth; establishing prescription drug monitoring programs in all the states; and increased enforcement to address ?doctor shopping? and pill mills.