Phone scammers are using the FBI's phone number ((202) 324-3000) to try to swindle money and ID from you, the FBI warned yesterday (January 28). This number may show up on your caller ID, but it is being spoofed.

The scammer will claim to be an FBI agent and say that your social security number has been suspended or stolen for some reason and that you need to pay to have it reinstated, or that you need to transfer funds to a specific account to keep it secure.

"To avoid falling victim to this scam, be wary of answering calls from unfamiliar numbers," the real FBI advises.

"Do not send money or gift cards to anyone you do not know personally and do not trust. Never give out personal information, including bank information, Social Security numbers, or any other personally identifiable information, over the phone or to individuals you don't know" - even if they cuss you out when you make a fraudulent call.

Remember, in most cases, government agencies send official notices by mail, not by phone. In really serious cases, someone will come to notify you in person.

On a similar note, the Justice Department yesterday filed a civil lawsuit seeking a temporary restraining order against three U.S. companies that provided Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service to robocall scammers.

Robocalls are calls made from abroad but require a U.S. calling carrier to reach U.S. residents, a service allegedly provided by the VoIP companies named in the complaint.

"These companies were repeatedly warned that they were originating fraudulent robocalls, including government and corporate imposters, but continued to facilitate the delivery of these calls," the DOJ press statement said.

"Most of these calls originated in India, where elderly and vulnerable victims in the U.S. suffered significant financial losses.

The five companies named in the complaint are:

The first two are allegedly owned and operated by Nicholas and Natasha Palumbo of Scottsdale, Arizona. The other three are reportedly owned and operated by Jon Kahen of Great Neck, NY.

According to the Washington Post, the Justice Department said on a press call that the individuals named worked from their homes.

A federal judge yesterday issued a restraining order against Kahen and his company, effectively preventing them from conducting business legally.

The number of calls allegedly made by these companies is enormous, with the DOJ saying that Ecommerce National made 720 million calls in one 23-day period. According to the DOJ, not all of those calls were robocalls, but 425 million of them were probably robocalls.

Neither Kahen, the Palumbos, nor any of the companies they control have been charged with a crime. Unfortunately, the real scammers remain overseas, beyond the reach of U.S. authorities, and will probably just find a new VoIP provider to connect with their victims.

In a DOJ press release, Assistant Attorney General Jody H. Hunt of the DOJ's Civil Division said, "We look forward to working closely with our law enforcement colleagues in India and around the world to identify those behind these calls so that they can be brought to justice."

"Anyone engaging in deceptive practices like imposter fraud, wherever they may be, should know that they will not go undetected and will be held accountable," said Gary Barksdale, Chief Postal Inspector General of the US Postal Service.