US Customs and Border Protection warns of scammers impersonating officers

A new type of phone-calling scam is targeting residents nationwide, including in Minnesota, attempting to gain banking information.

United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and officers nationwide are receiving numerous calls from residents concerned about unsolicited calls from scammers posing as a CBP agent or officer.

According to a release, residents are reporting calls that are a pre-recorded message stating, "a box of drugs and money being shipped has your (the caller’s) name on it, and it has been intercepted." The caller is then instructed to press one to speak with a CBP officer or agent, which then attempts to get the caller’s banking information.

And, this scam is becoming more prominent in Minnesota. When residents receive these types of calls, the spoofed caller ID registers the call as coming from CBP’s Minnesota office, which gives it an air of legitimacy.

These calls are phone scams/phishing attempts, and residents are urged to not provide the caller with any information. The Department of Homeland Security and CBP does not solicit money over the phone. If such calls are received, individuals should make note of the number and any other pertinent details about the call and immediately hang up and report the incident.

Phone scams can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission online.