Greg's Corner

FBI Warns of Website Imposters

By Greg Collier

The FBI has issued a warning about a troubling new scheme that targets people who have already been defrauded online. The agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, commonly known as IC3, is the official government channel where victims are directed to report internet crimes. Fraudulent actors are now creating convincing copies of the legitimate website in order to collect sensitive details from unsuspecting users.

These fake websites are designed to look authentic, often by making slight alterations to the legitimate domain name. Once a victim enters personal information such as a home address, banking details, or contact information, the data can be exploited for further financial theft or identity fraud. Because many victims reach out to IC3 in moments of urgency, the risk of falling prey to one of these counterfeit websites is heightened.

The FBI is advising members of the public to always type http://www.ic3.gov directly into their browser rather than relying on search engine results, where fraudulent sites are more likely to appear. It is also critical to confirm that the website address ends in .gov, since this is reserved for official U.S. government pages. The legitimate IC3 website will never request payment in exchange for recovering lost funds, nor will it direct anyone to a company that demands such payment.

The agency also reminds the public that IC3 has no social media presence, meaning any account claiming to represent the service should be treated as suspicious. Anyone who believes they have interacted with a spoofed version of the site should immediately contact their local FBI field office or submit a report through the actual IC3 website.

This development underscores the psychological toll of online fraud. Criminals are targeting individuals who are already vulnerable and may be desperate for help, exploiting their sense of urgency to make them more likely to overlook red flags. Falling victim a second time can deepen both the financial and emotional damage, eroding trust in legitimate institutions that exist to provide assistance.

The warning also fits into a broader trend of spoofed government websites being used as bait. Fraudulent versions of sites for the IRS, Social Security, and passport services have been reported in recent years, showing that cybercriminals are consistently exploiting public reliance on official resources. The FBI’s alert is a reminder that caution and verification are essential whenever sharing information online, especially when dealing with government portals.