Federal regulators have warned that online shoppers have been stripped of as much as $31,000 so far by extortionists who pose as federal agents and frighten people by saying that they would be prosecuted for buying their medication from abroad.

About 75-100 reports have been received by the US Food and Drug Administration from around the country about people receiving calls from individuals who claim that they are FDA special agents or law enforcement officers, as has been confirmed by the agency.

The targeted people were told that the fact that they are purchasing drugs online or over the phone is illegal and they would be prosecuted if they fail to immediately pay the "fine".

"People thought they just had been trying to save money by buying from online companies, and some of them really panicked. They thought there would be an officer outside their door at any moment", said FDA spokesman Tom Gasparoli, while sharing that various people wired the money to an address in the Dominican Republic.

It has been reported that most of the people paid nearly $1,000 to $5,000, while some ended up paying even more.