Consumer Protection Bureau

Victim Location 30281

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

The Company called North Stone Investment called and stated that I won a sweepstakes and said that I needed to send in 900.00 to verify who I was in order to get my winnings of 750,000. After verifying who I was they would then send me the money. I provided my email address and they sent me an email with my earnings.

Victim Location 70508

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

Recieved several calls from a male caller saying he was with Consumer Protection Bureau asking to speak to my husband by name. My husband was not available when he called. I googled Consumer Protection Bureau and saw a scam alert. He stopped calling. About a week later a different man called and spoke to me asking if we had recieved a package from "Dream works" or any comminication from that company. I told him no. He asked that I call and notify him if I was contacted. He said his name was Chris Mitchell and he worked for the Consumer Protection Bureau. When questioned he said it was a Federal agency. Later I had a voicemail from a female saying that I had a "high value package " being held at the airport in Alexandria, Virginia. It could not be shipped until I was registered. She asked that I call back as soon as possible or the package would be returned to sender. I ignored this call. The next day I recieved a call from a man with an accent also saying that he worked for the Consumer Protection Bureau in the state of La. Also said that the CPB regulated sweepstakes. He told me that I had entered a sweepstakes in June 2018 and had been awarded the second prize in the amount of $ 1,250,000. He informed me of the need to register with the state of La before this amt could be awarded. I hung up on him. If he calls tomorrow I’m going to insist that he prove he’s a government employee by having him recite the Pledge of Allegiance and sing the national anthem before I hang up on him. I assume the calls are an attempt to steal personal information or to ask for money for the "registration fee" or taxes on my "winnings".

Victim Location 87401

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

My mother got a call from this number. They knew her address. Let her know she had won a large sum of money and are hired from or work for the Consumer Protection Bureau. They ask for a credit card number. A photo. A photo of her credit card. All to confirm her identity for this sweepstakes. One of the numbers is a number provided by a text free application.

Victim Location 44124

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

I have been receiving many calls on my landline. The caller states they are the Consumer Protection Bureau. Officer Gary Brown and David Simon. Their phone number is 347-960-4515 and (347) 892-4988 . Those number show in my caller ID. The callers both have accents. They have also left those numbers for me. They are calling regarding Good Housekeeping Magazine. Said I won a large sum of money. August 15, 2018 drawing. I called the magazine and they did not have a drawing.I was suspicious immediately. I know they would ask for money. i receive many scam calls. I do not answer them.

Victim Location 46350

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

About a week ago I started getting calls that I had won $737,233. I was first instructed to call 866.978.5688. And then had to call another number 876.519.7119. Through these calls, I was told I had to go to Walmart and get a check for $757.23. In another call I was instructed to send a different amount of $300.00. I guess since I didn’t immediately send the money they figured I didn’t have the first amount so they lowered it. They couldn’t even keep their scam story straight. First they said they were the Consumer Protection Bureau and then in one of the calls they said they were Publishers Clearing House. They also said they had to check something with the FDIC and IBM. Just throwing out legitmate business names to make them sound legitimate. I called the ScamPulse.com to check it out because I was suspicious.

Victim Location 43232

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

Today, August 10, 2017, I received a telephone call from David Allen, Consumer Protection Bureau. David stated, we have been trying to get in touch with you for the last three weeks and have not been able to reach you until today. He also stated I had won $450,000.00 and also an additional winnings for a check of over $150,000.00. He stated I have a tracking number of SK40509. He told me to call U.S. Customs as they have the check in my name for the winnings. I was given a number to call to give the tracking number. I then called 866-978-0058 and spoke to a gentleman who stated that I had won $450,000.00. I asked if there was a fee as the first gentleman stated there was no fee; however, the second gentleman stated that there was a $900.00 fee as the check was coming from Los Angeles to Ohio. I was asked if I had a credit card or anyway you can get the $900.00. I also was asked if there was anyone who could help get the money so they can deliver the package today. Once I paid the $900.00 I would receive the package and my money back. The caller had my name and address.

Victim Location 38109

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

Got phone call from person who identified himself as David Lancaster from Consumer Protection Bureau at 1701 N. 4th Myers, Arlington, VA 22209. He stated his call was to advise me that American Dream Foundation w[censored]ding $750,000 award money that has been unclaimed in my name. It was because I entered the PCH sweepstakes and that company is affiliated. He asked to verify my name and address, which I did. I asked what was this going to cost me and he said there should be no cost. I laughed and told him I did not believe him. He stated he understood that if someone called him, he would feel the same. He stated he was just trying to get information to investigate this company due to other complaints of fraud, deceits and identity theft from others. He also stated upon investigating, if this is legitimate they want to make sure I get what was offered to me. I replied I would contact the ScamPulse.com and the local authorities to check to see if this company on record. He stated the BBB only shows complains and I will discover there are no complaints on this Bureau. I told him after checking I will call him back and he gave my the phone number that showed on my phone ID listed as 703-537-5334. He said he would contact me later as well. I then hung up.

Victim Location 43357

Total money lost $48,000

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

I am 78 yrs old. My wife has dementia. I sent a sweepstakes thing to Holiday Sweepstakes last year. This June, I got a call. She said I had won $625,000 with all taxes paid. She said she would help me get it. She transferred me to a US Customs guy in Miami. He explained I needed to pay $6000 for insurance. Because the package was coming through on my name, I had to pay 1%, and to send it to a lawyer in Las Vegas, this was June 13th.  I got a bank check from my bank and over nighted the check to a woman in Las Vegas with Holiday Sweepstakes. I was called and told I had won the second prize instead and they needed more money. Julie, from Consumer Protection Bureau, called and wanted to help me but they needed $42,000. I sent them another bank check to Texas to Nathan Henson. Yesterday they called and said the package was in Columbus airport but I needed to pay more money to cover taxes.

Then Walter Gibbs at US Customs in Miami. He said they messed up. I had won 6.2 million, and I needed to pay an additional $55,000. Then the financial advisor for Holiday Sweepstakes called and she said they couldn’t award the number 1 package to the first guy. And that my award was being held in a locker and I was being charged $13,000 a day. Then a woman from the Consumer Protection Bureau, Julie Freipas, with a foreign accent called. She said she was going to get the $13,000 a day fee voided, but I would have to pay $42,000.00. I went to the Peoples Savings & Loan in West Liberty, OH. I asked for a bank check both times, and they gave them to me. A day or so later the bank called and asked me if he wanted to stop the check, and I said no. The bank and the postal clerk tried to warn me.

I am still getting calls. Yesterday, July 31, 2017, a man who said he was with the Federal Trade Commission. 

Victim Location 32922

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

I just let you know that they contacted me. They said they were from the consumer protection Bureau. I have not send them any money or give him anything, but they seem to have me believing that they’re going to come to my house at 3 o’clock tomorrow and and give me money, and I don’t know how they can have the check and show up. So at some stage the next day that quick, but it’s fried. I just wanted to let you know they’re out there calling people. Thank you.

Victim Location 32780

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

Mr. Jeff Cillman of CPB told me I had won 2nd place in the Holiday Sweepstakes, $750,000. He gave me a customer # of HS-3209 and advised me to call the following number 1-800-503-2938 or go to their website. I was also told I would be asked a lot of questions to verify myself and to provide tax information. I was not advised of any co-pay to claim the money.

Victim Location 43212

Type of a scam Phishing

On approximately March 13, 2017 I received a telephone message on my answering machine from a woman named Christine Miller from the Consumer Protection Bureau in Washington, DC. She stated she had information supposedly concerning me. She repeated her telephone number and asked that I get back to her. I could hear a male voice in the background. The caller emphasized I needed to call her back.

Victim Location 11364

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

I am on the do not call registry and received a voice message from Agent Kenneth Bell from the Consumer Protection Bureau stating it was important to call back. I thought it was something to do with the government so I called the number. When I called back I spoke to another agent who said I was the second place winner of the Holiday Sweepstakes and won $750,000.00. I said how do I know this isn’t a scam and she said we are not from overseas and this is legitimate. I was told I would need to call the Holiday Sweepstakes people at 800-503-2938 to get my prize. Before I made another call I looked them up and found that they are indeed a scam. I never got far enough into the scam to have them ask for me to sent them money.

Victim Location 29579

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

I have received 5 phone calls from this number for my Mother who is deceased. She passed away August 9, 2015. Each phone call has come from this phone number and each time the "OFFICER’S" name has changed. I have repeatedly told the caller This Is A Scam" and to stop calling. They hang up as soon as I mention the word SCAM.

How do I stop these calls?

Victim Location 45805

Type of a scam Other

Tonight I received a call from a foreign caller and as the call came in it registered Washington, D.C. 202-634-2623. The caller stated his name and said he was calling from the Consumer Protection Bureau of the United States, he began to explain his purpose of the call was due to the over charging that had been occurred from the bank with ATM machines and the use of my Debit card. He claimed there is $11, 268 due me. He then wanted to know if I would like the money deposited to my debit card or direct deposit, I said I have would like a paper check, he said they didn’t do paper checks, but I could have it sent through Western Union. He then wanted to know if there was on close by, I said yes at Rite Aid. He then gave me a number 202-495-1302 that I would need to call and give them this Document # MP11 and they would give me the information I need to register and how much the "Refundable Processing Fee" would be. I have not and will not call to register. This is truly ridiculous, why does things like this even have to happen. I pray more people are calling and reporting this needs to stop.

Thank you,

*** ***

Victim Location 70071

Type of a scam Government Grant

I got a call from a man who sounded foreign. He told me that President Obama had signed an executive order to return money to people because banks have been charging too much in fees. He said banks were stealing from people whenever you do a transaction with your card and that is why Obama is returning this money. He also said that the government is partnering with Apple so to get my money, I have to first buy an Apple gift card for $270 and send it to them. He said I won’t lose that $270; it will be put on a debit card with the funds they are going to give me. He said he was from CPB and directed me to a website to watch a video. The video didn’t say anything about Obama returning money banks were stealing. He also sent me to Wikipedia to read an article about the Dodd-Frank Act, but anyone can write stuff on Wikipedia. I googled the information and found a ScamPulse.com story about a scam using the CPB name, so I think this is a scam. I didn’t buy the gift card he wanted.

Victim Location 37205

Type of a scam Sweepstakes/Lottery/Prizes

On January 28, 2016, a representative named Tina Cooper called from the "Consumer Protection Bureau" and talked to my 88 year old mother, telling her she had won a "second prize" of $585,000 from "Holiday Sweepstakes." She only needed to send a cashier’s check for 1% of the value of the winnings ($5,850) overnight by FedEx to their bonded trustee agent, and her prize money would be delivered in an armor car in a few days.

I called the "Consumer Protection Bureau" on January 29, 2016, and talked extensively to a Mr. John Perkins. He gave me the bonded agent’s names as either Nathan Hinson in Bogata, TX or Ken Walterkotte in Quincy, IL. They provided the agent’s addresses but would not give us their phone numbers.

I did a thorough research on both agents by calling the city hall, chamber of commerce, and police, of both towns, and could not independently verify either agent. The name of the first agent was Nathan Hinson, and his address was in the small town of Bogata, TX, on a county road in a very rural part of N.E. Texas. Neither the local police nor the town hall could confirm his address or existence. Similarly, the city hall in Quincy, IL, confirmed that Kenneth Waterkotte does live in Quincy, IL, but his address is for a house in a very sketchy part of town. A local lawyer said he had been recently sued. We were not given phone numbers for either agent.

Mr. Perkins also gave me the name of his bank as "Finance Trust Bank & Insurance, 33 Liberty St, NY, NY 10045, (347) 695-1353. I called this number and got a recored message for "Line Trust Bank & Insurance." When I googled that I address, I saw that this is the location of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York! Also, there is no web site for "Finance Trust Bank & Insurance" or "Line Trust Bank & Insurance."

Also, the "Consumer Protection Bureau" is not a government agency, though its name is similar to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which is a legitimate government agency.

I did not send them any money. I know that the ScamPulse.com has already seen this scam and has written on it in April, 2014. I simply wanted to confirm that it is still going on and that people should be aware!