Original editorial artwork from the Hugin archive; illustration, not a photograph of this scheme.
FBI Newark says impersonators are using actual agents' names and spoofed field-office numbers. A callback that only confirms someone works there can leave the fraud intact. The question to ask is whether that agent is actually contacting you.
Calling the agency back is sensible. Asking only whether a name belongs to an employee may leave the crucial question unanswered.
In a September 29 warning, FBI Newark describes criminals who spoof federal field-office numbers and introduce themselves with real agents' names. A person who calls the office can hear that the agent exists without establishing that the original caller was that agent.
What to verify
The FBI advises independently finding the agency's official number, saying you suspect a scam, and asking whether a real agent is actually contacting you. It says never to send money to someone claiming to be a federal law-enforcement agent. If the local office cannot be reached, contact the agency's main office; the FBI also gives 1-800-CALL-FBI.
A convincing background is still a background
The warning describes a staged video meeting resembling an FBI office. It does not identify a prosecution or quantify losses. Readers can submit information through the FBI's official tip portal.
