Audio Transcript

Mr. Schiff: Phone calls and the Internet. Beware. FBI Special Agent Jack Campanella in New York says financial scams are aplenty.

Mr. Campanella: “What the Nigerians are doing, they send shotgun leads throughout the Internet. Let’s say, for example, they send 5,000 communications out to various senior citizens. They basically say, ‘You are a winner of the,’ for example, ‘the El Gordo lottery in Spain.’”

Mr. Schiff: Messages say you’re a winner. Campanella says chances are you didn’t enter that lottery and he says phone calls and e-mails will increase.

Mr. Campanella: “Basically saying, ‘We need you to send us $500 in order to pay the taxes for your winnings, that the taxes are foreign taxes overseas, please send us that money.’”

Mr. Schiff: A red flag should go up.

Mr. Campanella: “The seniors should be aware that at this point that if you’re requested to send them money through Western Union, you are already involved in a scam.”

Mr. Schiff: Call the FBI if you think you are a victim of telemarketing or Internet fraud. I’m Neal Schiff of the Bureau, and that’s what’s happening at the “FBI, This Week.”