Posing as federal agent, scammer claimed Bluffton man was linked to cocaine-filled truck
In an apparent fear-based extortion tactic, a scammer impersonated a U.S. Marshal agent to tell a Bluffton man his financials were connected to a cocaine bust at the U.S.-Mexico border, police say.
The 82-year-old man came to the Bluffton Police Department on May 20, saying he had gotten a voicemail that claimed he had been charged $1,499 for a MacBook, according to a police report. The voicemail said he should call the number back to dispute the charge, he reportedly told an officer.
The man told police he dialed the number and was transferred to a man who claimed to be “Adam Peterson,” a U.S. Marshal based in San Antonio. The claimed the man’s bank account was connected to a truck found at the southern border “with 22 pounds of cocaine in it,” the report says.
The suspected scammer listed the last four digits of the man’s social security number in an attempt to convince him he was a legitimate U.S. Marshal, the Bluffton resident was documented saying in the police report. The 82-year-old told police he recognized it was a scam and hung up after the caller asked for his credit card information.
Police advised the Bluffton man to ignore any other similar calls, the report says. Because the caller had the last four digits of the man’s SSN, the officer also recommended the resident obtain a credit report to ensure his identity hadn’t been stolen.
Scammers in Bluffton area use ‘fictitious allegations’
Phone scams like this one routinely drain thousands of dollars from residents in the Hilton Head Island area, using fabricated claims about arrest warrants or other legal consequences to scare victims into quickly sending money. The fraudsters impersonate federal agents, sheriff’s office supervisors, jail employees, court workers, immigration lawyers and more. Many spoof their phone numbers to make the call appear legitimate.
Eydie Moody, a spokesperson for Bluffton police, said the reported U.S. Marshal’s impersonation case was indicative of a common scam tactic seen locally and nationwide. Criminals pose as law enforcement to gain victims’ trust and use “fictitious allegations” to send them into a panic, Moody said.
Both elderly and non-elderly residents fall victim to fraud in Beaufort County as tactics grow more advanced. Scammers have found new ways to convince victims they’re speaking with real officials, like utilizing public arrest records or personal information leaked in data breaches. Local police have advised residents they will never reach out to ask for money, and fraud experts say to watch out for red flags like unsolicited phone calls, a fabricated sense of urgency and the insistence on paying through unusual means like cryptocurrency or gift cards.
