Scammers Are Pretending to Be U.S. Attorneys in Illinois

It's sad and amazing how far scammers will go to try and rip you off. The US Attorney's Office in Illinois says there are villains right now that are pretending to be them demanding payment from victims or they'll face consequences.

This new press release from the US Attorney's Office in the Central District of Illinois is disturbing on a number of levels. They said that this is a sophisticated attack as the scammers are using real names of staff members within their office and they're using equipment that makes it appear that the call is really coming from them. Their statement says that the perpetrators are making threats if payments are not received. They added "The U.S. Attorney’s Office does not request money, personal financial information, or sensitive identifying details over the phone."

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in protecting the public and ensuring individuals are not exploited through impersonation schemes. These scams succeed by casting doubt and fear into their victims, pressuring them to reveal information they would otherwise keep secure. We will not allow these tactics to undermine the trust and safety of our communities,” said United States Attorney Gregory M. Gilmore. “My office will never stop working to safeguard the citizens of the Central District of Illinois.”

If you have received one of these calls or do in the future, this US Attorney's Office in Central Illinois says to submit a tip to the FBI. You can also contact them through publicly listed official phone numbers to verify you're speaking with a real government official and not a scammer trying to turn you into another one of their victims.