Scammers posing as U.S. Border Patrol agents are lighting up phones across New York, rolling out scripted threats and urgent commands that sound official enough to rattle even the calmest caller. Targets are hit with a recorded message claiming a shipment of drugs and money in their name was intercepted, then told to press a key to speak with an "agent." Once someone picks up, the pressure starts for Social Security numbers, bank information or on-the-spot payments, often with demands for cryptocurrency or gift cards.
Complaints about the calls have surfaced in Erie, Jefferson, Monroe, Niagara and Oswego counties, according to the Democrat & Chronicle. In a public advisory, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stressed that it does not solicit money by phone and urged anyone who is unsure about a call to contact the CBP Information Center directly at 1‑877‑227‑5511.
What the callers say
The scheme leans on a mix of spoofed caller ID, prerecorded messages and live operators to crank up the fear factor. A common script tells people that “a box of drugs and money being shipped has your name on it and it has been intercepted,” then instructs them to press #1 to speak with someone claiming to be an agent, according to CBP. In Western New York, the calls have even displayed the Buffalo Border Patrol station number on caller ID, WKBW reported, which makes the whole setup look disturbingly legitimate.
How to protect yourself and report
If one of these calls comes in, hang up immediately. Do not press any numbers, and do not hand over personal details such as your Social Security number or bank login credentials. Government agencies do not demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency or payment apps, and those demands are a classic tell of impostor scams, the Federal Trade Commission notes. You can report suspicious calls at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and should contact your bank right away if you shared any account information.
Why the scams keep spreading
Fraudsters rely on spoofed official numbers and high pressure threats, including ominous claims of arrest or deportation, to bully people into complying. Those tactics mirror ones the U.S. Attorney’s Office has warned about in other phone scams. Because spoofing makes calls appear to come from real government offices, officials say the safest move is to verify any claim by looking up an agency’s published phone number yourself and calling that number, rather than trusting what shows up on your screen.
If you already shared financial details or sent money, contact your bank and local police immediately, then file a complaint with the FTC so investigators can connect related reports. When in doubt, rely on phone numbers listed on official government websites and place a fresh call, instead of engaging with someone who reached out to you first.
