Victims of financial fraud are getting hit again — by those pretending to be FBI agents.
Since December 2023, the FBI has received over 100 complaints from victims of financial fraud who say they were victimized again, the second time by scammers impersonating employees of the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Some scammers would reach out via social media and forums, while others called or emailed victims, the FBI says.
In one scheme, victims of financial fraud joined social media groups looking for support. But in these groups there were financial fraudsters, posing as other victims, sending actual victims to a fake profile they claimed was the chief of the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the FBI says.
These fraudsters, posing as female victims of financial fraud themselves, would tell actual victims to reach out to “Jaime Quin,” claiming he was the Complaint Center’s director.
After victims reached out to “Quin” on the instant-messaging service Telegram, he would claim to have recovered the money they lost — but it was really a ruse to gain victims’ financial information.
“The IC3 will never directly communicate with individuals via phone, email, social media, phone apps, or public forums,” the FBI says. “If further information is needed, individuals will be contacted by FBI employees from local field offices or other law enforcement officers.”
The FBI has previously warned of scams involving law enforcement impersonators: Scammers have pretended a victim’s identity was used in a crime like in drug deals or money laundering, and they then have said they are law enforcement officials who can help catch a man or woman who faked romance to trick victims.
The FBI asks victims of internet crimes to report them to the actual IC3 at ic3.gov. Victims ages 60 or over seeking assistance filing out an IC3 complaint can contact the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Hotline at 833-372-8311.