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MONTANA - The FBI is warning Montanans about a scam in which someone claiming to be an FBI agent tells the victim they have to pay money for illegal activity.

The FBI Salt Lake City Division overseeing Montana received several complaints about this scam.

Investigators say the scammer claims to be an FBI employee and contacts a victim by phone or email. Some people said they were told their computers were locked due to illegal online activity, and a one-time $200 payment would take care of the problem. One complainant reported being threatened with a higher fine if he did not comply.

The FBI says some people already lost money to this scam. "Unfortunately, once a person wires or sends money they have potentially just become a victim of a scam," said FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson. "I want Montana residents to realize this is a ruse that con artists are using to steal money from unsuspecting people."

Montanans who have been victimized by internet-based scams are encouraged to file complaints online at the Internet Crime Complaint Center, which is a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.