The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has been receiving calls and reports of financial scam attempts conducted via telephone. In this scam the caller represents himself/herself as an employee of FinCEN and asks for the victim by name, usually at the victim's home telephone number. The caller will identify an outstanding debt; this debt may be actual or bogus. The caller will provide the victim with the victim's account, Social Security or other similar number and demand that immediate payment be made. The caller's knowledge of the victim's name, telephone number, account description and personal information serve to legitimize the caller.
FinCEN also has become aware of another financial scam conducted via email and telephone in which an individual claiming to be a representative of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or FinCEN, informs the victim that he/she has received a large Treasury Department grant. To obtain the grant, the victim is instructed to provide bank account information and make some type of initial payment or donation. Also, there have been email messages claiming to be from FinCEN about posting to the Secure Information Sharing System (314a) and to click on a link to register. The embedded link in the email directs users to a malware-laden website.
Recipients of these calls, letters, or emails should not respond to such messages, and should not send money or provide any personal or confidential information. Those who believe that they are or have been a victim of a financial scam, should report this information to local, State, or Federal law enforcement authorities.
FinCEN does not send unsolicited requests and does not seek personal or financial information from members of the public. FinCEN does not have authority to freeze assets or block funds transfers. In addition, fraudulent correspondence may purport to be from an overseas office of FinCEN. FinCEN does not have any offices outside of the United States.