I just notified the DEA, gave them the phone number and the caller's extortion tactics. These people are going down and the only ones going to jail are them. Also, it will take more than $850.00 to get out of this one.
I received the same call!! (202-239-0426) the guy stated that I had ordered some "drugs" from the dominican republic, and i have to appear in court on 5/24/10. They told me i licensed woukd be revoked, and if i failed to show up i would be put in a federal prison.
I kept trying to gain more info - the guy kept telling me to just get an attorney to call them.
I called the DEA the real DEA and the gentleman was so polite, and assured me that is not how the DEA operates.
I called the scammers back, told them I would pay the fine rather than go to court, The "Scam director", Richard King told me the fine was 750.00. I decided to play a little and told him, "Really, wow that is a relief, the guy I talked to previously told me the fine was 1500.00. I can do the 750.00" LOL Mr King then stammered and said, well the fine is 750.00, but then you need to pay the court costs, attorney fees, and the recovery fees which total 1500.00" I said, "Wow! really, and that just happens to be a round number too, that doesn't happen very often"
Mr. King then told me to wire (Western Union or money gram) the money to
JULIO SANTANA, 1600 G WASHINGTON AVE, SUITE 117, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
I was then supposed to call back with the receipt number, and they would fax me the waiver form - just in case it was ever brought up again, I had the paper work to show it had been taken care of.
After all this, I asked the Mr. Scam, if he knew me, or my situation, or anything about my life or family. He of course said no.
I said so you have no idea how much $1500.00 would help to pay for cancer treatments, or pay for a roof over my head.
He got very quiet, he didn't hang up, he just sat there. I could hear him breathing.
I told him, the money he wants me to give to him would help me to sustain a life in my family, and it is unfortunate, he feels his life, needs, wants, desires are so much more important then anyone elses. I then informed him that I had contacted the real DEA and they were recording/tracing the call, and we had been talking just the right amount of time, that he should be expecting a knock on the door shortly if not now.
LOL that is when the phone disconnected.
none of the little story I told him was true, but I think maybe it made him think a little bit.
I wouldn't have even thought of doing it until I read these posts, Thank you for sharing!
I recieved a call from the same # 202-239-0426. with the same scam that they are fining me for pills that came from the Dominican Republic. They said they would settle for $850.00 insead of the orginal fine 0f $2500.00. The guy i spoke to said his name was William Wright. When i said this did'nt sound right and i wanted something offoical sent to me from the DEA he hung up.
I got the same call today from 202-239-0426. I think the guy's name was Officer Rice and he said i had received illegal drugs from the Dominican Republic in 2007, which is a federal offense, punishable by 6 months in jail. I was dumbfounded - and when I asked what was going on he said i need to get a lawyer to call him right away. he did not say anything about a fine. then he hung up. Is it they want your money for what they are saying is a fine for buying illegal drugs? I didn't get it - did not know what even the legitimate law enforcement would be getting at - via telephone?? i am so glad i found this forum to find out that this is really a scam.
The same exact thing happened to me today Ellen. I know its confusing. If you would've gotten further in you conversation with Mr. Rice (aka Scammer). He would've told you to Western Union $1500-$2500 to the Dominican Republic for a fine to avoid jail. I was about to do it out of sheer fright. I didn't know what was going on. You took the words right out of my mouth, " I'm also glad I found this forum".