Cybercriminals and scammers are impersonating U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) employees in an attempt to defraud seniors. The U.S. Department of Justice issued a scam alert on Friday, urging citizens to be suspicious and vigilant, while also urging them not to provide personal information over the phoneto anyone claiming to be from the department.
An alert was issued after the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) received multiple reports that individuals claiming to represent the U.S. Department of Justice are calling citizens, particularly senior citizens, as part of a scam.
A DOJ spokesperson said that reports to the National Elder Fraud Hotline indicate that these scammers pose as investigators or Department of Justice employees and attempt to solicit personal information from the recipient of the call or leave a voicemail with a number to call back potential victims.
The phone number given to individuals directs them to a recorded menu that is set up to match the genuine recorded menu for the Ministry’s main phone number. Eventually, the would-be victims reach a fake administrator, who connects them with someone claiming to be an investigator. This fraudulent investigator then attempts to trick them into sharing their personal information and data.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is open seven days a week and available to anyone who wants to report scams against American elderly citizens, aged 60 and over.
OVC Director Jessica Hart said that phone scams are a vile and pervasive act of victimization. The scams reported to the National Senior Citizens Fraud Hotline are particularly horrific, as they show that perpetrators are preying on one of the most vulnerable groups in society for financial gain. She added that the scammers are posing as employees of the U.S. Department of Justice, exploiting the trust that citizens have in an agency that promotes and upholds justice and the rule of law, which makes their actions even more despicable and heinous.
