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Scammers impersonating government agents stole more than $9 million in Mass. last year, FBI says
“These fraudsters are capitalizing on fear and intimidation because nobody wants to be the subject of a law enforcement investigation."
Federal authorities issued a warning Tuesday, urging Massachusetts residents to be on guard against scams where people pose as members of law enforcement and government agencies to extort money or steal personal information.
Authorities have seen an increase in the number of reports in New England where scammers target people with unsolicited phone calls, posing as law enforcement, the FBI’s Boston Division said in a statement Tuesday. The scammers often spoof caller ID information and use intimidation tactics, such as the threat of arrest or saying that charges will soon be filed against the call recipient unless payment is immediately made, officials said.
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“Law enforcement and federal agencies do not call individuals threatening arrest or demanding money,” the FBI said in its statement.
According to the FBI, more than 500 people in Massachusetts reported losing more than $9 million to such scams in 2024 alone. Through the FBI’s Boston Division, which covers Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, 778 complaints were filed with financial losses amounting to $12,948,552.
“These fraudsters are capitalizing on fear and intimidation because nobody wants to be the subject of a law enforcement investigation,” Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, said in a statement. “We’ve seen an increase in these scams which is why we’re reminding the public to resist the urge to act immediately and verify who is actually contacting you.”
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The FBI said that the scams are a “persistent problem” and can also occur over email, urging residents to look out for misspelling, missing words, or incorrect grammar in any alleged correspondence claiming to be from law enforcement.
The FBI said it will never:
- Call or email private citizens to demand payment, threaten arrest, or request personal or sensitive information.
- Request payment via prepaid cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency ATMs to avoid arrest.
- Ask victims to liquidate assets into cash and/or purchase gold bars, silver, or other precious metals.
- Ask you to use large sums of your own money to help catch a criminal.
- Call you about “frozen” Social Security numbers or inheritances.
Anyone who wants to confirm they have been contacted by an actual FBI employee is being urged to contact the Boston office at 857-386-2000 and ask to be connected directly.
“Be wary of answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize,” the FBI said. “Do not send money to anybody you do not personally know and trust. Never give out your personal information, including your Social Security number, over the phone or to individuals you do not know.”
If you believe you have been victim of a scam and suffered a financial loss as a result, authorities said to contact your local law enforcement agency to file a police report and also file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.
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