WEST AMWELL: DEA telephone scam under investigation

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   WEST AMWELL — The township Police Department and the federal Drug Enforcement Agency are conducting a joint investigation of a bizarre telephone scam in which an imposter DEA agent allegedly told a township woman she was under investigation by the DEA for purchasing illegal drugs over the Internet with a credit card from the Dominican Republic.
   Township police say the phony agent allegedly told the woman she could face up to $10,000 in fines, but the fines could be reduced if money was wired to an address in the Dominican Republic.
   ”An individual who identified himself as a federal drug enforcement agent contacted a resident, leaving a message on a cellular telephone to contact a telephone number, complete with an extension,” said Lt. Stephen Bartzak, commanding officer of the West Amwell Police Department. “When the resident called the telephone number, a subject answered ‘DEA’ and provided her with a fictitious name and badge number. He stated that the resident was under investigation by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.”
   Lt. Bartzak said the imposter agent then provided the victim with a fake DEA case number and told her a court date on her case had been scheduled in federal court in Albany, New York. Phony details about the court date the imposter agent provided included the name of a judge who would preside over the case.
   The phony agent “continued by stating the resident could face up to $10,000 in fines,” Lt. Bartzak said.
   The agent then allegedly told the victim he had a federal prosecutor present with him and, due to the fact the resident was a “law-abiding citizen,” he could reduce the fines to $1,300 if money was wired to a specific address in the Dominican Republic.
   If she wired the money, the charges against her would “be resolved,” the victim was told.
   The scam artist “ instructed the victim to wire the money from a CVS Pharmacy in Lambertville at a certain time,” Lt. Bartzak said. “When the money wasn’t wired at the time given, a series of threatening phone calls were fielded until police intervention was initiated.”
   The lieutenant warned scam artists of this type “are very well versed in the justice system and police terminology and can be very convincing.”
   No local, state or federal law enforcement agency will ever attempt to solicit money over the telephone nor will an investigation of this type ever be conducted over the telephone, he said.
   He added no fines or jail time related to any alleged crimes can be imposed until the case has been resolved in court.
   The township police have been in contact with the DEA on the matter, and the DEA has confirmed the woman was contacted by a scam artist.
   The lieutenant said anyone receiving a telephone call of this type should call police at 397-1100 immediately.