The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York is warning the public about a phone scam involving callers who falsely claim to be representatives of the Department of Justice.
According to federal officials, the scammers are targeting people—especially those concerned with immigration status—by spoofing official phone numbers to make their calls appear legitimate. They then attempt to extract personal information or intimidate victims into complying with fraudulent demands.
“These imposters are using scare tactics, often pressuring individuals into disclosing their location or threatening legal consequences if they don’t cooperate,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated in a press release issued November 13.
In some cases, the scammers claim that a visa or immigration status is at risk, then demand sensitive information like home addresses or credit card numbers. Officials emphasized that no legitimate government agency, including the Department of Justice, would make these types of requests—especially not over the phone or using threats.
The Department of Justice made clear that it will never:
- Demand to know your exact location
- Threaten retaliation for not cooperating
- Request payment of any kind—including via gift cards
- Ask for your bank or credit card information
While scammers can make their calls appear to come from DOJ phone numbers through spoofing, they cannot receive return calls. Anyone unsure about the legitimacy of a call should hang up and dial the official DOJ number directly at 315-448-0672 to confirm.
Suspicious calls can also be reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
Officials urge the public to remain alert, never share personal information with unsolicited callers, and report any suspicious activity promptly.
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