540-384-3051

Got a call from Federal Investigator John Gilmore stating that my name was on a package of prescription medications that had been intercepted. I could get out of being arrested by paying a fine. I hung up on them before anything else was said.

I got the same call. He said they would be at my house in 40 minutes.  no one ever showed up.

I got a call also.  I reported them to the police.  They are calling from Salem VA but say they are in Quantico. When I questioned them, they got mad and said they were sending someone.  They never showed up.

I just got a call too he said he was john gilmore said i was going to prison for 10 to 15 years i was scared

calling harassing me and threatening me

This is just another bogus call from a FAKE "special agent" from the Drug Enforcement Agency. As with a previous commenter, my call was from a "John Gilmore." He left a message on my voicemail with his scam information - plus his phone number.

Other calls that I have gotten in the past from these so-called "special agents" have used the following FAKE names:
1. Nick Delgado (that's the usual one) - his phone numbers:
   a. 202-241-9282
   b. 312-428-6041

2. David Stone - his phone number: 202-241-8135

3. Generic DEA bogus calls also from: 805-351-3556

Please People-Please-Do not send anyone money for a fine they say you can pay. Its a Scam. They work off phone lists from years ago,from yourself or a previous owner of your number, that at one time bought medication over the phone.

Its a Scam-Please do not pay them.

The REAL DEA-would never call you-they would just show up. Plus They would have an answering system that wouldnt sound like a cheap machine from KMART.

The real DEA has a general office number-that goes to a switchboard which then can be routed to the correct department. Not a Cheap answering system.

Dont Pay these people-Its a Scam-Save your money.

FDA NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Jan. 7, 2011

Media Inquiries: Christopher Kelly, 301-796-4676 christopher.kelly@fda.hhs.gov

Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning the public about criminals posing as FDA special agents and other law enforcement personnel as part of a continued  international extortion scam.

The criminals call the victims -- who in most cases previously purchased drugs over the Internet or via "telepharmacies" -- and identify themselves as FDA special agents or other law enforcement officials. The criminals inform the victims that purchasing drugs over the Internet or the telephone is illegal, and that law enforcement action will be pursued unless a fine or fee ranging from $100 to $250,000 is paid. Victims often also have fraudulent transactions placed against their credit cards.

The criminals always request the money be sent by wire transfer to a designated location, usually in the Dominican Republic. If victims refuse to send money, they are often threatened with a search of their property, arrest, deportation, physical harm and/or incarceration.

"Impersonating an FDA official is a violation of federal law," said Dara Corrigan, the FDA’s associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “FDA special agents and other law enforcement officials are not authorized to impose or collect criminal fines. Only a court can take such action.”

In most instances, victims of extortion-related calls have also received telephone solicitations for additional pharmaceutical purchases from other possibly related, illegal entities located overseas. The extortionists use customer lists complete with extensive personal information provided through previous purchase transactions. These include names, addresses, telephone numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, purchase histories and credit card account numbers.

Typically, these criminals use telephone numbers that change constantly and make it appear as though their calls originate in the United States.

No known victim has been approached in person by a law enforcement impersonator associated with this scheme.  

The FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, with the support of various U.S. Attorneys, are pursuing multiple national and international criminal investigations.

Arrests have been made and additional prosecutions are pending; however, the scheme is likely to continue. The FDA has issued similar warnings in the past:

§  FDA Warns Public of Extortion Scam by FDA Impersonators1 (11/12/2008)

§  FDA Warns Public of Continued Extortion Scam by FDA Impersonators2 (12/29/2009)

Victims of this scheme who have suffered monetary loss through the payment of funds in response to an extortion call from a person purporting to be an FDA or other law enforcement official regarding illegal pharmaceutical transactions may obtain a victim questionnaire by contacting the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations3 and clicking “Report Suspected Criminal Activity.”

Anyone receiving a purported official document on agency letterhead may verify its authenticity by contacting that organization directly via a publicly available phone number. Additionally, all federal agencies use email addresses with a “gov” email extension.

The FDA also reminds consumers that pharmaceutical products offered online and by telephone by sources of unknown origin can pose a substantial health risk. Products recovered during this investigation that were purchased from online or telephone sources have been found to contain trace amounts of heroin, other undisclosed and potentially harmful active pharmaceutical ingredients, or no active ingredient at all. Purchases should only be made from licensed pharmacies located in the United States. In addition to the increased risk of purchasing unsafe and ineffective drugs from Web sites operating outside the law, personal data may be compromised.

For more on unlawful drug sales on the Internet, see Protecting Yourself4.

Questions and Answers
How did these people obtain my information?

They likely obtained the victim’s information based on a previous online or telepharmacy transaction, or from a submitted medical questionnaire. These instances could have occurred years ago, with personal information now on customer lists trafficked by these criminal groups.  These customer lists can contain tens of thousands of names and a substantial amount of self-reported data provided by consumers during previous transactions.  Typically, victims are being contacted by multiple unrelated groups, often for different purposes. (extortion, selling illegal pharmaceuticals, etc.)

How do I make the calls stop?

The extorters, just like the majority of telephone solicitors for illegal prescription medication, are based overseas and use voice over internet protocol (VOIP) telephone numbers, most commonly “Magic Jack”.  These services provide the extorters with the flexibility to constantly change their phone numbers and select ones with U.S. area codes.  If the victims  change whatever number(s) were used to contact them, and do not engage in any additional risky pharmaceutical transactions, the threatening phone calls and associated telephone solicitations for pharmaceuticals should cease.

What proactive steps can victims take?

Individuals who purchase medication online or via tele-pharmacies are frequently victims of credit card fraud, since this is how the medication is often purchased.  Victims may want to consider alerting their applicable financial institutions to ensure that identity theft has not occurred.

Why is FDA only asking victims who have lost money to contact the agency?The most effective way to track these criminals is to investigate the permanent record established when money transfers take place.

Have individuals been arrested?

Yes.  However, this scheme will likely not be eradicated and instead will continue to evolve.  For example, the extorters now occasionally reference other countries, such as Costa Rica, instead of the DR, as means to avoid all of the publicity regarding this scheme.

Am I going to be able to get my money back?

In almost all instances victims will not be able to recoup losses.  Multiple criminal groups employ this scheme, principally from overseas, and large monetary seizures are not anticipated.

Am I in danger?

In terms of physical danger, no victim has ever been approached in person, and the vast majority of these callers, regardless of their intent, are based overseas.  Their use of “police-type scanners”, law enforcement language and fictitious documents are attempts at a false sense of legitimacy. Extorters also occasionally reference cars parked on a victim’s street -- information that can be obtained online at various Web sites, as a way to frighten individuals into believing the extorters are near their residence.  If an individual feels threatened for his or her personal safety, immediately contact the appropriate local enforcement agency.

Is it possible that these callers are part of some “secret” investigative group, and FDA is just not aware of it?

No.  Law enforcement officials from both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic are pursuing these criminals.   More information regarding this scheme is available on FDA and DEA Web sites, or through online searches.  Extradition proceedings  between countries require close cooperation and often a formal treaty, and this often takes an extended period of time to complete.

http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/ucm239309.htm

I received a phone call also, unfortunately I wasn't quite as smart.  I even had a friend call the local authorities to see if they knew about a scam involving someone calling and portraying themselves as a DEA agent and they said no. Get this out and don't get taken like I did.  I've called the FBI, the DEA , the Sheriff''s Dept. and will call the FCC tomorrow.

Now they are using the number 804-490-7479.
And the names John Gilmore and Joe Campbell.
Same guys, same crap.

I too received one of these calls I kept them on the phone for over 15 minutes, listening to the crap they had to said, I laugh when then told me that I had $2500.00 fine for drug smuggling. I spoke to a Special Agent John Gilbride badge # 7133 first phone # 540-384-3051 and he transferred me to a customs agent Davis Stone badge # 2248 this guy sounded exactly like the first guy and didn't have a phone number to contact him with. I kept on telling them that a conversation like this over the phone was shading and I would be contacting a lawyer. I feel like a really idiot, I should of just hung up. To everyone that posted on this web site, thank you.

Said I ordered drugs online, but for $500 and permission for him to confiscate the package it would be dropped. "Special Agent so-and-so"

Someone calling himself "Special Agent John Gilbride from the DEA" called saying a package of illegal drugs in my name had been taken at the border. Threatening me with immediate arrest & huge fine, passed me to another "Customs Agent" - Bottom line, I was told I would be fined $2500 IMMEDIATELY and a payment of $500 was to be made TODAY at a MoneyGram place, to be sent to an "Alexander De La Cruz" ... in the Dominican Republic. I called the FBI and was referred by them to the Federal Trade Commission where I filed a complaint against this ... whatever it is. This is a shake-down scam, obviously, and they have really crappy phones too (the REAL Feds have GREAT phone connections!).

We got the same call and thanks to this website we are telling them to go f*** themselves and will report them to the FBI and FTC also!!!  

Technology does payoff sometimes!