I got a call from this guy, Joe Sheldon, badge # 2011 DEA 140 Grant St. NY. but he said I had to pay 600.00 or I was going to be handcuffed and taken before a judge that day! I was positive he was a scammer so I politely asked him to mail me the info and I would have my team of lawyers look at it as I knew I had never bought  any controlled substances.  He kept threatening so I hung up and reported him

Got a call from "Joe Sheldon" with the "drug enforcement administration." From this same number. I'm filing a complaint with the FDA.  http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/email/oc/oci/contact.cfm

I receieved same as below that this guy worked for a drug case where they arrested a warehouse full of India guys selling drugs. He said i would go to jail if i did not pay a fine.

I received a message from this man claiming to be a DEA agent that need to speak to me regarding on on going case. Curious, I called him back. He told me that I had 2 options: Option A be arrested within 10 minutes and deal with the judge on this matter. Option B  pay a fine and receive a letter from an officer the following day dismissing all charges against me. He would not tell me what I had done wrong. I would get the list of charges after I bought a $200 green dot card from Walgreen's. He said my phone was bugged, and if I tried to call my lawyer or fiance they would know, and I would then be choosing option A. Apparently, I wasn't allowed to discuss this with anyone else due to the fact that it was an ongoing investigation.
This is a total scam!!!!!
I am so disgusted that these people exist.

I just got a call from this number. I am in Washington State. I did not answer the phone as I didnt recognize the number. Where do you think he is he getting cell phone numbers?

Just got a call from this guy very strong accent stating he is with the FBI and has a warrant for my arrest. I needed to pay a fine or he will send DEA agents to arrest me TODAY! I will be thrown in jail bla bla bla.. he said he was from White Plains NY (it was not a NY accent) and was very agressive, I can see where people would be intimidated. I asked for his phone number as he was wasting my air time and said I was going to call him back and I wanted to talk to his boss.,. he said he gives me 2 minutes to return his call and after that he is sending agents out to jail me!! HA! These people need to rot somewhere else!!

I recieved a call from this number this morning. All because I filled out some form online asking for information. I am was looking for information as I was talking to the caller. This is crazy that they can get away with this. He said i must go pay right now. I told him I do not have any money. He demanded I pay something today. Let him call back I am ready for him.

WOW! Gald I found this information also. Got the call from Joe Sheldon badge #2311. Told me the same thing that I will be arrested in 5 minutes, I'm a technician for our local police department, so I told him to please, go ahead! Unfortunatly, If he gets 10 out of the thousands of calls to pay, look how much he is getting! I hope he calls back, I'm gonna have a little fun.

This guy said his badge # is 2011 His name is Officer Joe Sheldon and he is investigating a criminal case with the Food & Drug Administration.  Going to have me arrested, I will lose my job, my family if I don't cooperate.

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

This guy just called my fiance. I am a criminal justice major who has worked with many different officers from all branches of law enforcement. This is a scam!!! After I called him out on his stupid scam he told me "I hope you die a slow and painful death!" Please don't be fooled.

Same thing as above - only he identified himself as Officer Joe Shelton, DEA Agent.  Left me a message.  I know this is a scam!  Also called with another 214 # last week!

oh, this time it was Joe Shelton  badge 718, no 719. This is what was said.
What Federal Court?What Judge? It is wasting time to keep on with this guy. I wish they would put these people away, and the liars who run illegal pharmacies, too. I have never been too crazy about the ones that DO give you a proper RX, but if you have been on something like Provigil, at 17 bucks a tablet, and you can get it for 4 legally, why wouldn't you? ALWAYS ASK  FOR A PRESCRIPTION. Example:I received medicines promised with a prescription (I have MS and this is one of my meds for the last 12 years) You have to sign for it. Then open it at HOME. If it is not what you ordered and it has no legal prescription you must turn it in to the police or sheriff. My advice is to then say to the credit card company
the truth.....this is fraud. You cannot legally keep the product and by law you also cannot legally return it, especially if it is in India.....Use your good judgement. No one cares about 90% of what comes in this way but the heavy abuse items like Hydrocodone and amazingly, even Oxycontin you may have trouble in 2 ways. First is that no RX....second is that many of these places send fakes. I have lab analyzed a few. This time I plan on insisting the government act on these. Obey the law, and do not get ripped off, either. The people that sell fakes are despicable because if you have a legitimate reason for the medicine you do not get it. If you are on anti cancer meds, you might die. This is no joke. Beware. Some as I said are ok and do things right, most do not.

this laughable moron called me. I am a doctor and lawyer both. So this stuff does not work, I told him my cell needed to be plugged in, could I call back? Yes..and i recorded 45 minutes of what is a hell of a cross examination. Impersonating Federal Officers is a serious crime.
hen I asked of what I was accused, he actually said, nothing, just that my name was going to be released to the public. Well, there it is,I released myself.
Pay a fine of 1700 when he had an address that was 5 years old..needless to say I did not have anything to do with what he was talking about.
The moral is deal with on line pharmacies....some are legal and ok. Always ask for a prescription. If you receive medicine without one, that is illegal. This must be returned and reported. If you used a credit card, good. Reverse it on them. Every prescription medicine that needs a prescription must have one.I am a doctor, as I said, and that rule applies to all of us. Then you do run the risk of  a problem. Do things right and you do not/

I just got this call today & a man with a foreign accent left me a message saying he was Mike Sheldon District 78 and wanted to talk to me about a criminal investigation involving someone using my information to purchase items that came through US Customs. I called the number back because at first I thought it might be related to some unauthorized purhcases that were recently made to one of my credit cards. Before he called back I checked the internet and found this site. So I was ready for him when he called back. He said he needed to ask me a couple of questions but I kept  demanding to know what this was about & he then swore at me. I said if this were a legitimate call he would not be swearing and he hung up. What a joke!

Got call from 703-825-3284 from US Customs "Special Agent" Stanley Anderson (complete with hispanic accent) Started his con when I interrupted his litlle script and asked for  who he really worked for - he paused and then tried telling me US Customs - I laughed at him and told him I was unaware of any time that FED Agents conducted phone interagations or accusations. This flustered him and he told me I would find out the "hard way" when I am being arrested. I laughed at him again and informed him I was aware of his scam and to move on.  If anyone gets call from this imposter do not give him any personal info. If you want to have some fun give him false info about everything and anything. Then simply block his number.  Call has been reported to DEA Hotline for imposters- unfortanely the real DEA and US Customs have real jobs thay must devote their time to and while they are investigating these imposters I was informed that right now they have been overwhelmed by volume of this scam. However, I was told by real DEA agent that some arrests ( 12) have been made and many more will follow soon. I hope so because I am getting tired of these stupid calls.

OH AND HOW DUMB IS THIS GUY NOW..MY DAD WAS CHIEF OF POLICE AND I NOW HAVE HIS VOICEMAILS AND POLICE INVOLVED AND DIDNT EVEN HAVE TO GO OUT OF MY WAY TO DO IT, THIS CROOK, HIS VOICE AND 50#'S HE CALLS FROM WILL BE CAUGHT, TRUST ME, PLEASE DO NOT BYUY INTO HIS B***S***, HE HAS MULTIPLE NAMES AND GIVE THE SAME DOC# OF 100525USCA AND SAYS HIS BADGE # IS N229 OR SOMETHING IF YOUR IN THAT MUCH OF TROUBLE THE COPS, FBI WHATEVER WOULD BE AT YOUR HOUSE TALKING TO YOU FIRST..HE DID KNOW MY LAST EMPLOYMENT AND WHERE I LIVED 6 OR 7 YEARS AGO, SO BEWARE PEOPLE AND HANG UP ON HIM

OK I GOT THE SAME CALL FROM A 703-825-3284# FOR THE LAST WEEK,  I FINALLY ANSWERED AND FOR AN HOUR HE HAD ME FREAKED OUT AND WANTED ME TO WESTERN UNION TO A CRISTIAN SANCHEZ IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC  TO GET MY NAME OFF OF A JUDGE'S LIST OR A BENCH WARRANT WOULD BE ISSUED, I SAVED HIS VOICEMAILS AND I AM DEFINATELY GOING TO THE POLICE DEPT TO FILE A REPORT THIS IS HARASSMENT X 100!

I wish that "these people" would get an income the legit way, even if it were flipping burgers!
The time this JERK spends making these harrassing calls trying to SCARE us into giving HIM money, he could make a living flipping those burgers!
THERE HAS TO BE A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL FOR THESE TYPE PEOPLE!
WHO PREY on US hard working AMERICANS who WORK FOR A LIVING and do not SCAM PEOPLE!
I do hope this Dominican Republic JERK goes back to his own country and stop scamming here in America.
Also, I do hope that he is able to read what people are writing about him because I have this to say to you, Mr. Dominican Republic JERK..."I am standing at my front door WITH my attorney....waitin on the DEA to come slap me on the wrists with handcuffs!"
We're waitin....
GET A LEGITIMATE LIFE YOU A***OLE!

I am an attorney in Michigan and one of my clients received this call.  She was extremely upset and when I heard the details i told her it was a scam.  No agency can act this way and if they did they would have been sued a thousand times over!!  This call originates in New York and here is a form you can fill out and send to the attorney General of that state.
http://www.ag.ny.gov/bureaus/consumer_frauds/ ... r_complaint.pdf

This number called a client of mine.  She called me extremely worried.  When she explained what was said I told her not to worry this is nothing but a scam.  I am an attorney in Michigan and there is no department of the government that could get by doing a call like this.  Anyone who gets this call should call the New York Attorney General and report it.  Here is the web site to fill out a complaint and mail it in.  This is a New York number and this is the district that has that area code.
http://www.ag.ny.gov/bureaus/consumer_frauds/ ... r_complaint.pdf

Got the same call 10 minutes ago. I searched the internet for his number while he was on blabbing his line.

Found this site and informed him he was busted!

I received a call from a young man with a very strong foreign accent indicating that he was an agent of U.S. Customs. He was very skilled and well rehearsed. He indicated that he was involved in an investigation of the illegal importation of pain killers and weight loss drugs. He told me that he had records indicating that I had purchased drugs from a foreign pharmacy on my Visa card (I have only a Matercard). He asked me if I had ever received a call from a pharmamcy offering to sell me drugs. I told him that if he mailed me a letter on DEA letterhead, I would respond and cooperate. He told me that he was "referring" the matter to "local" law enforcement and that they would be coming by my office to arrest me.

My girlfriend received same exact call Fri and he scared the hell out of her. Someone needs to shut this A$$hole up for good.

I received a call today from Officer Anderson saying he was investigating people who received illegal pharmaceuticals from online pharmacies.  He gave me his badge number, and said I would be arrested in a few days if I didn't pay $1000...I was shocked. He gave me my address, and said a U.S. Judge had my address.  He also quoted a Docket number.....I told him I had no money, and I was at home, and hung up.  This is shameful.

I have received this call from Stanley Anderson District 78 as well he has left a message twice.  I called it back after first message it scared me to death.  I don't even speed for crying out loud.  It went to voice mail with a generic leave a message at the beep.  If this were legitimate it would have stated the office etc.  Also if they investigating me why the hell would they tell me?  This makes me so  mad that people prey on others in this manner.  I don't answer when I see unknown call I'm not wasting my time on this scam artist.  I am so glad I found this site after the first phone.  I just received second phone call and I decided to post.  I can't tell you how upset I was over first message then common sense kicked in.  Then I wanted to check area code see where call was and then I saw this site.  I can't even begin to express how irritated I am about this.

Just rec'd the same call and i am reporting it to the police! Hilarious! What an idiot! I started asking him q's instead of answering his and he got very angry and said i was a drug user and that I was going to Jail in 10-15 days! LOL!! I said, thanks for the warning and he hung up!! LOL!!!

Same phone call today.  Not calling back

Got the same phone call.  He needs to improve his English

I got a call on my cell phone from (914) 595-5933 from someone claiming to be "Stanley Patterson" from the "U.S. Customs Department, Narcotics Unit".  He said that someone using my number called an Internet pharmacy in the Dominican Republic "several years ago."  Was I being called by Internet pharmacies who use "Anglo"-sounding names, but have foreign accents?  Yes, I said, to the man with the thick foreign accent.

In brief, put $1,000 on my credit card or I could be "slapped in handcuffs."

Thanks for being here, WhoCallsMe.  I'm about to call "Stanley" back.