The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has issued a warning regarding an increase in "recovery scams" where criminals impersonate FBI agents and IC3 employees on social media and messaging applications. These scammers specifically target individuals who have previously fallen victim to cybercrime, aiming to defraud them again.
The FBI states that these schemes are becoming more sophisticated, often featuring official-looking FBI logos and branding to enhance their credibility. Scammers create fake social media accounts, sometimes with fabricated positive reviews, to lure victims. An example provided described an account named "Reliable Scam Recovery Inc" or "Ic3 Scam Recovery Inc" that promised assistance with recovering funds lost to various online frauds, including investment, crypto, and romance scams.
These fraudulent posts contain vague but reassuring claims, such as having an "experienced recovery team" and offering "professional case assessment" and "secure and confidential support." They also make high-level promises like "investigate scam activities" and "trace transactions," implying specialized legal or technical capabilities that legitimate agencies possess.
Scammers actively monitor social media for posts from individuals who have reported a scam to the FBI or intend to do so. They then contact these victims directly, posing as FBI follow-up contacts. To further convince skeptical victims, some scammers create deepfake audio and video content depicting senior FBI officials or other recognizable public figures urging victims to submit their case through a specific link to "speed up recovery." The FBI confirms that criminals are increasingly utilizing AI-generated deepfake technology to make these messages appear authentic.
The IC3 emphasizes that it does not maintain an official social media presence and does not investigate crimes or contact victims directly via social media to recover funds. The IC3's official website explicitly states that it does not collaborate with non-law enforcement entities, such as law firms or cryptocurrency services, for fund recuperation or case investigations, and will never directly solicit information or money from victims.
To avoid falling victim to these recovery scams, the FBI advises several precautions. Individuals should never pay upfront fees to recover stolen money, as legitimate government agencies do not request advance payments for such services. Unsolicited claims from anyone offering to reverse a previous scam should be viewed with extreme suspicion. Victims should never provide remote access to their devices, share passwords, recovery phrases, identification documents, or financial information with unknown third parties, as this information can be used for identity theft or further fraud.
If a message or contact from an alleged "agent" appears in direct messages shortly after a public post about being a crime victim or reporting to the FBI, it should be assumed to be a scammer unless independently verified through official channels. Suspected scams should be reported to the IC3 at ic3.gov.
