CBP warns against phone scam by fake Border Patrol agents

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is repeating a warning about a phone scam "targeting residents nationwide to gain personal information that would bypass financial security protocols."

"If CBP suspects illegal activity, we will not call a suspect or a victim requesting money or social security numbers," CBP Houston Acting Director of Field Operations Rod Hudson said in a statement.

Scammers even went as far as providing an actual CBP employee's name and phone number available on the internet for the victim to identify, the agency says. Some went so far as to give their targets fake case and badge numbers, according to CBP.

The way some of the scams operated was with a pre-recorded message that stated something along the lines of a "shipment of drugs or money with your name on it and has been intercepted," before the target is asked to press 1 and be connected to a live person.  

Residents on the receiving end of a call known as a phishing attempt should not provide the caller with any information. 

Four main points CBP reminds people of are: