Citrus County residents are being warned Thursday about a phone scam that starts with a fake bank representative and ends with demands for cash, gift cards or expensive electronics. The caller claims to be working with the FBI to expose corrupt bank employees, then pressures victims to withdraw large sums and prepare them for an “undercover agent.”
According to a bulletin from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, scammers may tell residents to place cash and receipts inside their home mailbox around 1 or 2 a.m. for anonymous pickup. The script can also involve buying high-end cellphones or gift cards, all under the pretense of protecting the victim’s account or helping investigators.
The Fake Investigation Is The Scam
The biggest red flag is the request to move or hand over your own money. The FBI Miami Field Office has warned Florida residents about callers who claim to be federal officers investigating a bank and ask victims to use personal funds as “bait,” while spoofed caller ID can make the call appear legitimate.
Neither a bank nor the FBI will call and demand that someone withdraw a large sum, buy gift cards or electronics, or leave cash for a supposed agent to collect. The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report recorded 32,424 government-impersonation complaints nationwide, with reported losses of nearly $798 million.
The pattern is especially damaging for older adults. The same FBI report counted 8,628 government-impersonation complaints from people age 60 and older in 2025, involving more than $413 million in reported losses—up sharply from the previous year.
What Citrus County Residents Should Do
If an unexpected caller says your account is compromised, hang up and contact the bank through the number on your card, statement or official app. The Federal Trade Commission also advises people not to use a phone number supplied by the caller, share verification codes or allow an unsolicited caller remote access to a device.
Anyone who has shared financial information or sent money should contact the bank immediately and ask whether the transaction can be stopped or reversed. Suspicious calls can be reported to the sheriff’s office at (352) 249-2700, while Crime Stoppers of Citrus County can be reached at 1-888-269-8477; victims can also file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office says residents should hang up on suspicious callers and verify any account issue independently. A real bank fraud department may warn about unusual activity, but it will not turn a customer into a midnight courier for cash.
