Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. CBP Warns Residents of Phone Scam

CBP Warns Residents of Phone Scam

Release Date
Sat, 12/12/2020

Caller impersonating CBP Officers/Agents

DULUTH, Minn — A new type of telephone scam is targeting Duluth residents in an attempt to gain banking information from unsuspecting residents.

U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Duluth Station have received numerous calls over the past week from residents concerned about unsolicited calls from scammers posing as U.S. Border Patrol agents and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Residents are reporting the calls are a pre-recorded message stating, “a box of drugs and money being shipped has your (callers) name on it and it has been intercepted.”  The caller is then instructed to press #1 to speak with a CBP Officer/Agent, which then attempts to get the callers banking information.

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, people should make a note of the number and any other pertinent details about the call, and report the incident to the authorities for investigation. Phone scams can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission online at https://www.usa.gov/scams-and-frauds or by calling 1-877-382-4357.

“It’s always disappointing when scammers try to take advantage of unsuspecting individuals especially during this holiday season,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent William J. Maddocks.  “We are thankful for the concerned residents who have reached out to us with this information so that our family, friends, and community are not scammed by these criminals.”

 

Follow us on Twitter for the most up to date information @USBPChiefGFN or @CBPGreatPlains

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021