The site was created Jun 15 2017, using the services of NameSilo as a registrar.
For the fake site details: https://db.aa419.org/fakebanksview.php?key=124767
The registrant claims to be:
Registrant Name: francis berm
Registrant Organization: madex
Registrant Address: 340,boulevard ne atlanta georgia
Registrant City: atlanta
Registrant State/Province: GA
Registrant Postal Code: 30321
Registrant Country: United States
Registrant Country Code: US
Registrant Phone Number: +1.4102313786 x0
Registrant Facsimile Number: +1.4102313786
Registrant Email: madex630@gmail.com
" 340,boulevard ne atlanta georgia" is the location of Medical Building C, Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.
+1.4102313786 - Google VoIP number
How the scam works?
The scammers, most of them located in the Cameroon or of Cameroonian origins, pretend to be weed, drug and like suppliers, advertising their products online. The victims are directed to sites with those products (all fake) and are asked to get in contact with so called delivery companies (also fake ones). On the way from the supplier to the receiver, the products are discovered in various locations and put on hold - the victim being asked to pay additional fees to release the parcel. If the victim don't want to pay, the scammers are blackmailing the victims, telling them they will report the victim to the police for trying to buy illegal drugs. In extreme cases, they even impersonate law enforcement, pretending they will arrest the victim for trying to buy illegal drugs.
In this case, the scammers were pushing their game a little forward, by creating a fake site pretending to be the DEA. More than that, they used some of their victims real life documents and details to expose those victims as criminals in the process of being arrested for trying to buy their drugs.
The USA authorities are aware about such cases. According to a press release from the real DEA site - https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs ... n_scam.htm:
ALERT - Extortion Scam
DEA Warns Public of Extortion Scam by DEA Special Agent Impersonators
The Drug Enforcement Administration is warning the public about criminals posing as DEA Special Agents or other law enforcement personnel as part of an international extortion scheme.
Extortion Scam Criminal
The criminals call the victims (who in most cases previously purchased drugs over the internet or by telephone) and identify themselves as DEA agents or law enforcement officials from other agencies. The impersonators inform their victims that purchasing drugs over the internet or by telephone is illegal, and that enforcement action will be taken against them unless they pay a fine. In most cases, the impersonators instruct their victims to pay the "fine" via wire transfer to a designated location, usually overseas. If victims refuse to send money, the impersonators often threaten to arrest them or search their property. Some victims who purchased their drugs using a credit card also reported fraudulent use of their credit cards.
Impersonating a federal agent is a violation of federal law. The public should be aware that no DEA agent will ever contact members of the public by telephone to demand money or any other form of payment.
The DEA reminds the public to use caution when purchasing controlled substance pharmaceuticals by telephone or through the Internet. It is illegal to purchase controlled substance pharmaceuticals online or by telephone unless very stringent requirements are met. And, all pharmacies that dispense controlled substance pharmaceuticals by means of the internet must be registered with DEA. By ordering any pharmaceutical medications online or by telephone from unknown entities, members of the public risk receiving unsafe, counterfeit, and/or ineffective drugs from criminals who operate outside the law. In addition, personal and financial information could be compromised.
Anyone receiving a telephone call from a person purporting to be a DEA special agent or other law enforcement official seeking money should refuse the demand and report the threat using the online form below. Please include all fields, including, most importantly, a call back number so that a DEA investigator can contact you for additional information. Online reporting will greatly assist DEA in investigating and stopping this criminal activity.
To report a threat, visit
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/ ... n_scam.htm and click the 'extortion scam online reporting' link.
This is what the fake site is looking like: