Threatening IC3 Impersonation Calls

The IC3 has received thousands of complaints pertaining to payday loan scams; however, recently some of the callers have claimed to be with the IC3. Recipients described the callers as “very nasty and could barely speak English.” Victims were told a complaint had been filed against them regarding a payday loan and they must repay the loan as soon as possible to avoid court and jail time. The amount of the loans vary, but average around $600.
Other complainants reported that the caller claimed to be from the Attorney General’s office and told the recipient they were being sued by the IC3 and private detectives for not repaying a payday loan.
In both scenarios, the caller had the recipient’s social security account number and bank information. Some recipients reported that the checking account number was incorrect. Others reported receiving calls from individuals claiming to be “officers” with the IC3. Recipients reported being told they were being investigated and were threatened by claims that information would be used against them in court proceedings, but they did not provide any additional details about the calls. These callers were described as having an Indian accent, called the recipients multiple times, and used various names.