FDA Warns Against Con Artists Posing as Agents

These international con artists call consumers and identify themselves as FDA special agents or personnel with such agencies as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Secret Service, or even a Dominican prosecutor. During the calls, the criminals tell consumers that buying drugs over the Internet or the telephone is illegal. The con artists then threaten that legal action will be taken unless consumers pay a fine or fee ranging from $100 to $250,000, the FDA said.

Criminals involved in this extortion scheme always request the funds be wired to a designated location, usually in the Dominican Republic, according to the FDA. Consumers who refuse to send the money are often threatened with a search of their property, arrest, deportation, physical harm, or incarceration, the FDA said.

In some cases, the criminals have fraudulently used consumers' credit cards, too.

"Impersonating an FDA official is a violation of federal law," said Michael Chappell, the FDA's acting associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. "The public should note that no FDA official will ever contact a consumer by phone demanding money or any other form of payment."