How do I know if someone who says they want to help me is legitimate?
If someone calls you from a law enforcement agency and you have any doubts about them, ask for their name, the agency name, the address, and the telephone number, and tell them you’ll call back. Then get the telephone number for the agency from directory assistance or the Internet and call to confirm the person’s identity. Beware of any request for money – law enforcement agencies don’t ask for payment to help consumers, nor would they ask you for taxes or customs charges. Beware of “recovery services” that guarantee to get your money back for a fee, or someone claiming to be with a court or lawyer’s office who contacts you unsolicited and asks you to pay a fee to get money that is coming to you. These are common scams.