The FBI is warning that scammers are impersonating its personnel and offering to help with Internet Crime Complaint Center complaints. Some scammers claim they have recovered stolen money or can help victims retrieve it, but their real aim is to steal information or money from people who have already suffered financial fraud.
An updated FBI public service announcement, issued July 20, describes an ongoing scheme involving AI-generated videos, fake social media profiles and websites designed to resemble IC3.gov, the official website for the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Previous Fraud Victims Are Contacted Again
According to the FBI’s announcement, scammers are contacting victims through email, telephone calls, social media advertisements and even online forums. Once the scammer gains the victim’s confidence, the conversation moves to platforms such as Facebook Messenger or Telegram.
In one case described by the FBI, a person told the original scammers that they intended to file an IC3 complaint. The victim was later contacted on Facebook Messenger by someone posing as an FBI agent, who provided a link for supposedly updating the complaint.
Following that link could expose the victim to malicious code or a form created to collect additional financial information. This method is commonly known as a recovery or double-dip scam because criminals return to someone who has already lost money.
Deepfake FBI Videos Promote Spoofed IC3 Websites
Another version uses AI-generated videos that appear to show a senior FBI official encouraging fraud victims to submit complaints through a fraudulent IC3 website.
The spoofed site copies the appearance and content of the official government service but offers little genuine functionality. Its complaint form asks for a name, phone number, email address, scam category, and estimated financial loss.
After submission, the website provides a reference number and informs the user that someone will contact them. Other links on the site send visitors back to its home page, which can help expose the imitation.
Scammers may also use AI-generated video during private conversations or live calls to impersonate law enforcement officers, company executives, and other authority figures. It is worth noting that scammers also use cloned voice or spoofed caller ID, making the person on the call appear more convincing.
IC3 Does Not Recover Money Through Social Media
Anyone contacted by an alleged IC3 representative should know that the service has no social media presence. It does not investigate crimes or recover stolen funds through Facebook, Telegram, messaging applications, or public forums.
IC3 also does not directly contact complainants by phone, email, social media or online chat. When additional information is required, contact will come from an FBI employee at a local field office or another law enforcement officer.
The agency will never request payment to recover stolen funds or refer victims to a company that charges for recovery. Requests for cryptocurrency, gift cards, or transfers should be treated as fraudulent.
How to Report an IC3 Impersonation Scam
People filing a complaint should type ic3.gov directly into their browser and confirm that the address ends in .gov. The FBI advises avoiding sponsored search results and links supplied by unknown contacts.
Reports should include the scammer’s contact details, fake profile names, websites, telephone numbers and payment instructions. Transaction dates, amounts, bank account information and cryptocurrency addresses can also help investigators connect related activity.
