Honolulu: The FBI has cautioned Hawaii residents about a growing impersonation scam in which fraudsters pose as federal law enforcement officials to extort money and steal personal information. According to an advisory issued by the FBI Honolulu Field Office, criminals are impersonating agents from agencies such as the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Secret Service.
The scammers are reportedly using sophisticated techniques, including caller ID spoofing, to make their calls appear to originate from genuine government offices. In some cases, they use the names of real or fictitious agents and manipulate official phone numbers, making it difficult for victims to establish whether the communication is genuine.
In a recent incident, a fraudster reportedly joined a virtual meeting with a background designed to resemble a federal government office, complete with official-looking interiors and a person dressed in formal attire to gain credibility.
The FBI has clarified that government agencies and law enforcement officials never demand payments or sensitive personal information through phone calls or text messages. They also do not seek money through cryptocurrency, prepaid cards or couriers.
Residents have been advised to independently verify suspicious calls by contacting agencies through publicly listed numbers rather than relying on details provided by callers. The FBI has also urged people to examine website links carefully, as fraudulent URLs may closely resemble official government domains.
Anyone encountering such scams can submit information through the FBI’s official tips portal at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Victims should immediately inform their banks, contact local police and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
