Crooks posing as ATF agents target US smartphone users

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is warning the public about scammers posing as ATF agents.

In this scam, criminals contact victims by phone to make them purchase Apple gift cards valued at $500 or $1,000 to “clear a red flag” from their accounts. They are then asked to pass the card’s details to the scammer.

In some instances, people are also tricked into sending money with threats of arrest by crooks using spoofed FBI phone numbers nationwide.

The ATF stresses that such calls are never legitimate and encourages the public to avoid sharing private information with anyone making unsolicited calls. The bureau is working closely with the FBI to investigate this scam.

ATF stresses that it will not:

• Call or email you to demand payment or threaten arrest. You will not be asked to wire a “settlement” to avoid arrest.
• Ask you to use large sums of your own money to help catch a criminal.
• Request you send money via wire transfer to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency, or gift/prepaid cards.
• Call you about “frozen” Social Security numbers or to coordinate inheritances.

The agency reminds citizens to remain alert when receiving unsolicited calls or emails, never share sensitive information, verify any contact claiming to be a government agency by calling official numbers, and contact law enforcement if you ever fall victim to a scam.

Just a few days ago, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning about club fraud schemes or pump-and-dump stock manipulation schemes.

Cybercriminals go after potential investors and lure them in with fake opportunities, encouraging them to purchase specific shares over a period of time. Scammers, who control a large volume of these stocks, then temporarily inflate the price with the victim’s money and sell off their shares.