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The Onondaga County Sheriff's Department in Syracuse is alerting residents about a scam involving impersonators of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and local law enforcement. Scammers claim a package addressed to the victim has been intercepted at the border and may contain illegal items. They then threaten legal action or demand money to resolve the issue.
According to WSYR-TV, these scammers often use the names of real CBP employees to appear legitimate. They may pressure victims to provide personal information or make payments through untraceable methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Residents are advised to hang up immediately if they receive such calls or texts and verify the legitimacy by contacting official CBP or law enforcement agencies directly. It is crucial not to provide any personal or financial information to unsolicited callers. Victims are encouraged to report such incidents to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or local law enforcement.
For more information on how to protect yourself, visit the Yahoo News article covering the scam.