Attorney General Roy Cooper: Beware of calls from phony drug agents


We’ve warned you before about calls or computer pop ups from phony law enforcement or government officials, where scammers use the threat of legal action or even arrest to try to get you to pay them money.   

In the latest version of this scam, the callers claim to be agents with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  The phony agents claim that you purchased medications online illegally and owe hundreds or thousands of dollars in fines.

People who have reported the calls to our office say the phony drug agents threaten to search their homes or arrest them if they don’t pay the so-called fine, which they’re sometimes told to send overseas by wire service.  At least some of the calls appear to target people who purchased medications online, providing personal information that the scammers use to make their threats sound believable. 

If you get one of these calls, don’t respond.  Legitimate law enforcement officers are not authorized to call you up and demand that you pay a fine.  The FDA also recommends that you use caution before ordering any medications online, especially from websites based outside the U.S.  See the FDA’s alert for more tips.

If you spot a scam, report it to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or filing a complaint online at www.ncdoj.gov.

This message brought to you on behalf of North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper.