A recent article in The Muskegon Chronicle warns of a new scam against consumers who buy prescription drugs online. The Chronicle reports:
Some people who bought prescriptions online later received calls from someone claiming to be an agent of the Drug Enforcement Agency, who demanded they wire a “fine” to avoid being arrested.
Anyone receiving a telephone call from a person claiming to be a DEA special agent or other law enforcement official seeking money should refuse the demand and report the threat by calling 1-877-792-2873.
While buying drugs online from Canada and other countries is, under most circumstances, technically illegal, individuals who import non-controlled products for their own personal use are not prosecuted. There is no reason whatsoever that a DEA or FDA agent would contact someone who purchased controlled or regular prescription drugs online asking for, or demanding payment of, a fine. Just as the article suggests, if you are targeted in this fake DEA scam, please report the threat to law enforcement officials immediately.
As a reminder, reputable international online pharmacies do not sell controlled substances to Americans. Federal law, under the Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008, mandates that only U.S. pharmacies with a DEA license can sell controlled substances online, pursuant to a valid prescription based on face-to-face consultation with a licensed U.S. physician. Learn more about buying controlled substances online.
Was scammed out of $3500 today – called my home & cell phone saying they were about to arrest me & my family if I didn’t
pay $2,300. I paid the money then they told me had to pay additional $1,150. I did that because they were threatening to arrest me & my family. Also said he would be contacting me tomorrow because my case was still on hold for more money. He said his name was Deputy Wilbert Plummer – phne # is 718-705-4001. I sent the money to Gleidel Rodriguez Coster at Bonao, Dominican Republic. Their acceptance code is 33122
I was called and advised there were 3 felonies againt me…that I was going to be arrested, but said if we gave him $1800, I wouldn't be arrested..the person who called was named brian calldeen badge #cec-0549 he called from ph# 1-804-767-8688 ex 101…after checking him out we called the DEA and we were informed this was a scam and it is going on alot…this was very stressful as I am disables and bedridden…i hope you catch these horrible people.
that is so sick….glad you had the presence of mind to realize "something was wrong in Dodge" and reported this! So sorry for the stress this put you thru….bastards!
I actually looked myself up, they said I had warrants against me… I almost turned myself into the police station
This just happened to me today and I’m curious as to if you still received you order or not??
I've been called by these people 5 times. The first time I was worried until I checked the DEA website. Now I just ignore them even though it is soooo tempting to call them back. I called the DEA and they did nothing, not even return my call or take my info, obviously these a holes will be getting away with it forever.
I have been contacted by these people at least a dozen times over the past 2 years. When I ask them questions about my case, they hang up. Called number they called me from,said it was the DEA but couldn’t answer my call yet. I was also ignored by the Federal people. I guess it’s not important. Elderly people could really be taken by these slobs.
Thanks to this story I was not a victim today! I was very freaked out when told that someone used my credit card to buy prescription drugs but was Leary when they told me if I paid $4,000 I would not be extradited to the Dominican Republic! His name was Det. Danny Bellamy from a number in WA. He has been reported to the real DEA and the jail/ sheriff’s office where I work!!! If you were a victim you can call 1-888-701-6276 or 509-671-9128 and tell them off:)
Got a call from Danny Bellamy, Badge #33187. Called from 509-671-9128. Same story as everyone else here but he never got to asking me for money as I asked for his info so I could call him back and them immediately went to the DEA website. The number he wanted me to call him back at was 1-800-608-8543. It all sounded pretty convincing.
I have had the same threats, my husband and I, first
Fom a bogus number in Houston, then recently
From a number in CA. Name “special agent James
Revetfield”. This is nerve racking being disabled.
Phone no. 415-746-6925, District 98. I researched
The phone no., its unlisted, cell phone. No money asked
For yet but this is 2cnd “group” to harrass us.
Ive been called 4x. First time was very scared..but I knew I had done nothing wrong. This hard ass with a Brooklyn accent told me I was going to be taken to jail if I didn’t find a way to come up with the money by the end of the day. I have to say he was very convincing and I was scared that I had actually done something wrong.I told him I’d have to make some phone calls. He said if I had to do that I better not tell anyone what I why I was collecting the money or I’d be in more trouble. After he said that it just clicked and I knew he was full of crap. I told him I’d rather go to jail then pay the money ….my kids would be taken away…etc. when I said me and my lawyer would meet him at the jail in 30 minutes he hung up on me. These people are pond scum and will most certainly rot in hell . Probably not the best advice, but if you get a call from them go ahead and play along with their scam it’s pretty entertaining. Then report them immediately.
I too, have been targeted by this scam. What was most disturbing is that when I searched for active warrants for my name, I actually found some!
Now, I have never ordered pharmaceutical drugs online, I did experience credit card fraud, which was used to purchase some kind of online drug. I reported the transaction immediately, and was put through the entire process of cutting up my card, etc., etc.. After the card company did its investigation, I was credited back the charges made to my account. I was lucky there. Had I not caught it so fast things may have turned out differently.
So, that debacle was almost ten years ago. Nevertheless, I still receive calls from online pharmacies on a regular basis. If I actually answer the call and request that they not contact me further, it only makes it worse!
Today I was contacted by a Special Agent Danny Ramirez. (I requested his full name as well as his badge number). Upon requesting his information, I was transferred to a special “Prosecutor” who told me I was exhibiting signs of “criminal behavior” by requesting the DEA Agent’s bona fides, and unless I sent $2000 to the Dominican Republic immediately, an arrest warrant would be issued and I would be looking at felony charges and a minimum of 5 years in prison.
Luckily I found this site! Thank God for you people!
While I was highly skeptical of the whole thing, they do, indeed, make their case sound extremely believable. Especially with the warrant search results. I don’t know how they do it, but I suppose those organizations are as unscrupulous as any other online entities.
So, in conclusion, if you get any phone calls requesting money to make felony drug charges “go away”; ESPECIALLY from the Dominican Republic (a common point of reference – as well as the DEA agent with the first name of “Danny”), I would advise that you DO NOT cooperate with their request to send money – via Western Union, or by any other process! Also, I would strongly advise that you call the DEA phone number provided above and report your experience.
Again, I would like to thank everyone who has written a reply to this scam.
I have a company calling it’s self Canadian Pharmacy and told them not to call me and they still do. I told them to stop and they will not stop. After asking a dozen times to stop I cussed them out and they still call. I called the DEA and they don’t care said it was not illegal. How can I stop the calls? Can someone give me a little advice.
Thank you,
– JIM
I had the same issue as all of you as well. I’ve been getting calls for going on 9 years now. It started as somebody trying to sell me drugs and then evolved into this same idiotic fake dea agent.
I almost fell for it the first time, but now I’m just jacking with them. It may be small of me but I rather enjoy making them hang up first. They deserve some payback since that girl committed suicide over all of this in Joshua tx.
of course I was nervous the first time they called. then I figured it out.After about the fifth call …I let them ramble on and on. At the end tell them I’ll meet them at my local police department. You can also turn the tables and tell them you also work for the DEA. SOB’s told me they take my kids away. I’m so sorry some people have been burned by them.
Yes, it is scary but anyone requesting cash immediately should be suspect. There should be a special prison for people like these scammers. I am almost 70 years old and could have been taken in by the bully who called me. Same script…giving his name, DEA badge no. And same threats and same offer to “save” me from arrest if only I would send money gram immediately to a judge in the Dominican Republic. Thanks to this site and the comments of others, I was not a victim.
A good friend called me and said she almost got ripped off by this scam. I told her it was a scam, lucky for her the clerk wouldn’t accept her money after she told her what was going on. I get calls from online pharmacies , but I put their number on call rejection. You can block numbers you don’t want calling you . Please be careful, so many scammers . Never send money to anyone you don’t know personally.
I received a very scary and professional sounding call & message from a DEA Agent Mike Daniels Badge #9477 today. His message said I was involved with an on-going online pharmacy investigation and they were coming to search my home and getting an arrest warrant together. I get the online pharmacy phone calls all of the time, almost every day for 15 years, but I have never ordered from them and always scream at them and tell them I will never order and blow whistles and punch the keys on my phone, then hang up. I always put the number on my blocked call list, but they call from all over. So, I know I have never done anything wrong or ordered from them. So this DEA SCAM is just targeting those on the call list. All I want is to get off the phone lists that they must sell to each other and it is total harassment!! So, I called this DEA guy back at 1-800-701-4765 hoping he was for real and could get my name removed from their call list. I called and got a generic message – no DEA credentials – so I hung up. Mike called me right back and when I questioned his phone and asked for another number at DEA Headquarters to call, he got very mean with me and said he would be sending his officers to my home and then hung up on me. I tried calling DEA to report this, but never got through to anyone, so went on-line and found this site which explains it all. DO NOT FALL FOR THIS OBVIOUS SCAM!!!
There is also an IRS scam going around. The caller knows your name and says there is a warrant out for your arrest for tax evasion. Well, scary right? The DEA, IRS and other governmental agencies NEVER call. They will write you. Hang up on them.
Same as everyone on here. Got a voicemail on NYE from an Agent Gonzalez of the DEA. Message was very believable saying that I was part of a criminal investigation regarding a purchase I made online, that my cooperation was necessary and that I should call back or a search warrant for my home would be in effect immediately. I freaked out and called back, meanwhile having my husband do a search on the number which came up as the DEA in Spokane, Washington (so these people have a way of using the DEA’s phone number). They even had a female operator answer and route me to the correct “extension”. Then I was told by this agent that I purchased prescription drugs illegally online seven years ago (all I can remember is actually purchasing while having a valid prescription which I actually had to fax in) but he went on saying that purchasing pills online is illegal no matter what and I went on to question why that would be my fault versus the DEA who should be stopping the process themselves instead of me having to be the one at fault. He went on and on about how the world wide web is big and they can’t catch everything but this has been an ongoing investigation for twelve years and my name is part of it and I have charges against me, blah blah blah. He even went so far as to accuse me of selling these pills to other people. At that point I told him I need an attorney and he said we could disconnect immediately but would be sending police to my home to arrest me immediately and I could speak with a judge and my attorney on Monday. In the back of my mind I couldn’t believe it was real, but they give just enough information and are so confident you are confused. He ended up eventually saying charges were dropped against me (he was on the other line with the prosecutor) because ultimately they are trying to go after the pharmacies themselves, but would like my cooperation in the future if I received any calls from them (which I don’t, but guessing I probably will after this setup) and made me read from the online pharmaceutical act on a “recorded line”. He also is sending me paperwork which I haven’t received yet which I assume will be a saying I owe a fine. If he had asked me for money on the phone I would’ve known right away. The fact he didn’t was what confused me the most
Thanks for sharing that. Wow.