FBI warns of new scam targeting fraud victims through IC3 impersonation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a public warning about a growing scam in which fraudsters impersonate officials from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to deceive individuals who have already fallen victim to financial fraud. The scheme, which has been steadily increasing in prevalence, aims to exploit victims a second time by promising to help them recover lost funds.

According to a public service announcement released by the FBI on Friday, more than 100 complaints have been filed between December 2023 and February 2025 regarding this specific tactic. The bureau emphasized that the scammers often contact victims through a range of platforms, including email, telephone calls, social media, and online forums. These fraudsters typically pose as IC3 representatives offering assistance in retrieving previously stolen funds, but the offers are in fact fraudulent.

“Almost all complainants indicated the scammers claimed to have recovered the victim’s lost funds or offered to assist in recovering funds,” the FBI said in its announcement. “However, the claim is a ruse to revictimize those who have already lost money to scams.”

In a recent case cited by the agency, scammers established fake profiles of women on social networking platforms and infiltrated online groups dedicated to financial fraud victims. Posing as fellow sufferers of online scams, they would gain the trust of group members before recommending that victims reach out to an individual identified as “Jaime Quin,” a supposed Chief Director of the IC3. Contact was directed through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

Once the victims connected with “Quin,” they were told their previously stolen money had been successfully recovered. However, this was a strategic lie aimed at extracting further personal and financial details, ultimately setting the stage for another round of fraudulent activity.

The FBI has clarified that legitimate IC3 employees do not reach out to victims through unsolicited calls, emails, or messages on social media and online forums. Furthermore, they do not request payments—whether in the form of money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards—for fund recovery services. Nor do they refer individuals to outside entities that require upfront payments for supposed financial restitution.

The bureau also pointed to earlier warnings it had issued about broader schemes in which criminals impersonate government officials or law enforcement agents. These schemes frequently involve spoofed phone numbers and forged credentials to deceive and exploit victims into surrendering personal data or funds.