Cybercriminals are impersonating staff of the FBI division dedicated to combatting on-line scams, trying to make the most of those who have already misplaced cash to digital fraudsters.
The FBI stated Friday that between December 2023 and February 2025 it obtained greater than 100 complaints of individuals attempting to cross themselves off as representatives of its Web Crime Grievance Middle (IC3). The middle handles experiences of on-line scams, together with different digital crimes.
Whereas they could appear particularly brazen in contrast with other forms of on-line fraud, the IC3 impersonation complaints symbolize only a small fraction of these reported to IC3 annually. In 2023 alone, the newest 12 months out there, IC3 recorded greater than 880,000 on-line rip-off complaints accounting for $12.5 billion in losses.
Within the IC3 impersonation scams, the FBI says the cybercriminals initially made contact with their targets in a wide range of methods together with by way of emails, telephone calls, social media messages and on-line boards. Nearly all the scammers claimed to have recovered cash misplaced by the targets, or stated they have been providing assist in recovering misplaced cash.
In actuality, the scammers have been trying to revictimize those who had already misplaced cash because of earlier on-line scams, the FBI says.
In a single case, the FBI says scammers created feminine personas on social media websites and infiltrated on-line teams for monetary fraud victims, pretending to be victims themselves. The scammers would then encourage precise victims to achieve out by way of Telegram to a male persona that they had created named “Jaime Quin” who they claimed was IC3’s “chief director.”
As soon as contacted, the “Quin” persona would declare to have recovered their misplaced cash, however then would use that mislead get victims to handover their monetary data, permitting the scammers to victimize them but once more.
How To Keep away from Getting Scammed
Here is find out how to spot and keep away from FBI and different impersonation scams.
The FBI does not use Telegram. The FBI doesn’t attain out by way of messaging apps, social media, public boards, e mail or texts. Delete and report these sorts of unsolicited messages.
It additionally does not cost for assist. IC3 won’t ever ask you for fee to get better cash misplaced in a rip-off, or refer you to an organization that asks for fee to get better your cash.
Preserve your personal data personal. By no means share delicate knowledge like your banking data, on-line account logins or Social Safety quantity with somebody who reached out to you on-line or over the telephone.
Ignore requests for cash. By no means ship cash, cryptocurrency or present playing cards as a type of fee to somebody you do not know or have solely handled on-line or on the telephone.
Assist forestall future crimes. Report scams and rip-off makes an attempt to ICS. Victims aged 60 or over who need assistance submitting a grievance can contact the Division of Justice Elder Justice Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
