St. Thomas, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert for the District of the Virgin Islands announced that The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) has received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the Department of Justice are contacting members of the public as part of an imposter scam. She strongly encourages the public to remain vigilant and not to provide personal information during these calls, which appear to target the elderly.
Reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate these scammers falsely represent themselves as Department of Justice investigators or employees and attempt to obtain personal information from the call recipient, or they leave a voicemail with a return phone number. The return phone number directs users to a recorded menu that matches the recorded menu for the department’s main phone number. Eventually, the user reaches an “operator” who steers the user to someone claiming to be an investigator. That “investigator” then attempts to gain the user’s personal information.
“Members of the public need to know that Department of Justice employees never contact members of the public, asking for personal information,” Shappert said. “Anyone who receives such a call or an email, should contact the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) immediately.”
United States Attorney Shappert encourages anyone, and especially elderly victims, who may be a victim of fraud – or of any other crime – to come forward and make a report to the FBI at (340) 777-3363.
Those who receive these calls are encouraged not to provide personal information and to report these scams to the FTC via their website or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is a resource created by OVC for people to report fraud against anyone age 60 or older. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible, and within the first 2–3 days, can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open seven days a week. For more information about the hotline, please visit https://stopelderfraud.ovc.ojp.gov/.
“Members of the public need to know that Department of Justice employees never contact members of the public, asking for personal information,” Shappert said. “Anyone who receives such a call or an email, should contact the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) immediately.”
