The FBI issued a public service announcement on July 20 warning that scammers are impersonating Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) personnel to target people who have already lost money to fraud. The criminals falsely claim they have recovered stolen funds or can assist victims in retrieving losses, but the offer is a recovery scam designed to steal personal information, financial details, or additional payments. Recovery scams deliberately target vulnerable individuals who have already paid another scammer, with fraudsters obtaining victim lists containing names, contact information, and details about previous losses before offering bogus recovery services.
Scammers Contact Victims Through Multiple Platforms
The FBI said almost all complainants indicated the scammers claimed to have recovered the victim's lost funds or offered to assist in recovering funds. The bureau noted the claim is a ruse to revictimize those who have already lost money to scams.
Scammers contact victims through phone calls, email, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, social media advertisements, or online forums. The criminals send links that supposedly allow victims to update an IC3 complaint but instead collect financial information or expose users to malicious code.
The Federal Trade Commission's guidance on refund and recovery scams states criminals deliberately target people who have already paid another scammer. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission warns about recovery fraud, particularly after cryptocurrency, foreign exchange and investment scams, noting an offer to retrieve lost savings may be another scheme that adds to the victim's financial damage.
Criminals Use AI-Generated Videos and Fake Websites
The FBI alert highlights how criminals are using AI-generated videos, including deepfakes, to make their impersonation schemes more believable. The bureau said scammers created videos appearing to show a senior FBI official directing users to submit complaints through a counterfeit IC3 website.
The spoofed site resembled the official government portal but asked users to enter their name, phone number, email address, scam type and estimated financial loss. The fake website then generated a reference number and promised that someone would contact them.
Criminals use AI-generated voices, fabricated video calls and caller ID spoofing to impersonate executives, law enforcement officers or other authority figures.
IC3 Does Not Charge Recovery Fees or Operate Social Media Accounts
The FBI stressed that IC3 does not operate social media accounts and does not recover money through Facebook, Telegram, or similar platforms. The bureau stated IC3 does not maintain a social media presence and will never ask for payment to recover lost funds.
Consumers should not send cryptocurrency, gift cards, wire transfers, or other assets to anyone claiming to be able to recover stolen funds, the FBI said. Suspected scams should be reported through the official IC3 website, along with transaction records, phone numbers, email addresses, and cryptocurrency wallet addresses, when available.
FAQ
What did the FBI announce on July 20?
The FBI issued a public service announcement warning that scammers are impersonating Internet Crime Complaint Center personnel to target people who have already lost money to fraud, falsely claiming they have recovered stolen funds or can assist in retrieving losses.
How do scammers contact fraud victims?
Scammers contact victims through phone calls, email, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, social media advertisements, or online forums, and may send links that supposedly allow victims to update an IC3 complaint but instead collect financial information or expose users to malicious code.
Does IC3 charge fees to recover lost funds?
No. The FBI stated that IC3 does not maintain a social media presence, will never ask for payment to recover lost funds, and does not recover money through Facebook, Telegram, or similar platforms.
