Keeping Your Money Safe: Blood and Cocaine Scam

The name of this scam is alarming, but so are the fraudsters who are trying to trick you. The Blood and Cocaine Scam first surfaced back in 2019, but it’s back—and it’s stealing innocent people’s money with a strange, threatening phone call.

How Does the Scam Work?

It starts the way many scams do—an unsolicited phone call from a random number. The person calling claims to be a law enforcement agent, usually with the FBI. The “agent” then says you rented a car in Texas, and the car was found with blood and cocaine inside. You’re asked to give your Social Security number and financial account information.

In another version of the scam, a person calls claiming to be a Social Security Administration representative. They say, in addition to a rental car with blood and cocaine, they have found an offshore account in your name with a large amount of cash. You are then told your Social Security benefits will be suspended if you do not provide your personal information, including your Social Security number and financial account information.

In each case, these elements are mentioned—a rental car in Texas, blood and cocaine in the car, and the need for your Social Security number.

Stay Alert for These Red Flags

While this scam may seem like something you’d never fall for, fraudsters have a way of convincing you to give them what they want, using scare tactics to trick you. To protect yourself, keep these tips in mind.

• If someone is threatening you and says money and your personal information will get you out of danger, it’s a scam. This is not right.
• No one should be asking for your Social Security number. The Social Security Administration already has it. Law enforcement agencies also have easy access to it. If someone calls and asks for your Social Security number, it’s a scam.
• Chances are, if the FBI does find blood and cocaine in a vehicle connected to you, they aren’t just going to call you on the phone. They have other ways of finding you.
• The Social Security Administration does make phone calls, but it’s not usually their first method of communication. Anything they want to discuss is almost always going to be something you are already aware of.
• If anyone calls claiming to be from law enforcement and asks you to purchase gift cards to get out of trouble, then it is a scam.

Keeping Your Money Safe

Don’t fall victim to this scam. If you didn’t rent a car in Texas in the first place, that should be your first clue that something is fishy.

Keeping your money safe is as important to us as it is to you. PlainsCapital Bank’s Fraud Department provides educational resources for businesses and customers to help detect and prevent fraud. For more information about our fraud prevention efforts, visit our fraud resources page.