U.S. Marshals Warn of Phone Scam

Portland/Bangor, ME – The U.S. Marshals are alerting the public of a scam involving individuals claiming to be U.S. Marshals. During these calls, scammers attempt to collect money via phone in lieu of having further legal problems. The scammers claim that individuals need to "post bond" or face losing their jobs, custody of their children, or other consequences.

Scammers use many tactics to sound and appear credible. They sometimes provide information like badge numbers and/or names of actual law enforcement officials. Scammers may also spoof their phone numbers to appear on caller IDs as if they are calling from a government agency like the U.S. Marshals.

If you believe you were a victim of such a scam, you are encouraged to report the incident to your local FBI office and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Things to remember:

• U.S. MARSHALS WILL NEVER ask for credit/debit card/gift card numbers, wire transfers, or bank routing numbers for any purpose.
• NEVER divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers.
• Report scam phone calls to your local FBI office and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
• You can remain anonymous when you report.

The U.S. Marshals Service urges individuals not to divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers and highly recommends the public report similar crimes to their local police departments. If you believe you are a victim of fraud, report the incident through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Also, you should report online, business, or phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) immediately at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov.