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  Geebo 8:00 am on September 23, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: fake websites ( 15 ), FBI ( 32 ), IC3, Scams ( 1,595 )   

  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.

   

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  Geebo 8:00 am on April 23, 2025 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: FBI ( 32 ), IC3, police impersonation scam ( 88 ), recovery scam ( 11 ), recovery service ( 11 ), Scams ( 1,595 )   

  FBI Warns of Scam Recovery Scam Surge 

  

  By Greg Collier

  The FBI’s Denver office has issued a public warning about a new wave of fraud cases involving impersonators claiming to work for the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Between December 2023 and February 2025, over one hundred reports were filed from individuals who were contacted by scammers pretending to be affiliated with the FBI’s online crime division.

  The scammers typically reach out via email, phone, social media, or encrypted messaging apps. Their targets are often people who have already lost money to fraud. In some cases, the fraudsters embed themselves in online communities designed to support scam victims, using fake identities to pose as fellow victims. From there, they gain trust and recommend contacting someone they claim is a high-ranking IC3 official.

  The end goal is always the same. Once trust is established, victims are guided to send personal and financial information through private messaging platforms. The promise is that their stolen funds can be recovered. Instead, they are defrauded again, sometimes for even greater amounts.

  It is important to understand that there is no such thing as a scam recovery service. No legitimate agency will offer to retrieve lost funds in exchange for payment. The Internet Crime Complaint Center does not contact victims directly via social media, private messages, or encrypted apps. It does not request payment or refer victims to third-party entities promising financial recovery. Any outreach claiming to do so is a scam in itself.

  People who have experienced a scam or suspect fraudulent contact are encouraged to report the incident through the official IC3 website. Reports should include details about the individual or entity that initiated contact, the means of communication, any financial transaction records, and a description of what occurred.

  Above all, if someone claims they can help you get your money back for a fee, they are part of the scam. Do not give them money, and do not give them your trust.

   
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  Geebo 8:00 am on June 6, 2023 Permalink | Reply
  Tags: FBI ( 32 ), IC3, impersonation scam ( 196 ), police impersonation scam ( 88 ), Scams ( 1,595 )   

  Phony FBI letters sent by scammers 

  

  By Greg Collier

  Scammers will take advantage of a victim. ‘Good’ scammers will try to take advantage of the same victim twice. You can see this in the scam recovery service scam we’ve posted about in the recent past. That’s where scammers go after scam victims and promise the victims they can recover their money for a fee, of course. Now, a new scam has emerged, and while it doesn’t specifically target scam victims., they can be more vulnerable to this scam.

  It’s being reported in South Central Pennsylvania that residents are receiving a letter which appears to come from the FBI. Well, the letters are actually embedded in emails sent to victims. The letters claim to not only be from the FBI, but also from the Internet Crime Complaint Center, which is better known as IC3. The IC3 website is where scam victims can go to report internet scams.

  Getting back to the letters, they claim that the recipient was the victim of a cybercrime. The letter goes on to state that the recipient’s email address was found in the database of a Nigerian scammer. The hook to this scam is the letter says the recipient is eligible for restitution in the amount of $1.4 million.

  The report we read doesn’t state what the scammers are after, but if history is any indicator, it could be one of three things. The first is the scammers will need victims to make a payment which will be disguised as taxes or processing fees. The second thing the scammers could want is the victim’s personal and financial information under the guise of where they should send the phony payment. This could give the scammers access to the victim’s bank accounts. Lastly, the scammers could include a link in the email which could inject malware into the victim’s device. If it’s the right device, the scammers could steal the victim’s identity and take over their life.

  Thankfully, there is a simple way to protect yourself from this scam. Law enforcement will not conduct official business through email. If the FBI really wanted to get a hold of you, they would do it by official mail or a personal visit. Secondly, very few scam victims are scammed for $1.4 million dollars. If the FBI recovered that much money and there were multiple victims, you may get partial payment by check in an amount that would be similar to those issued in a class action lawsuit, i.e., nowhere near $1.4 million. If you receive one of these emails and still have questions, contact your nearest FBI Office directly, and do not use any contact information included in the letter.