Scam alert: Watch out for scams that promise to recover your money
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is warning U.S. residents about a new scam that preys on victims of previous frauds by offering to help them recover lost money.
The scheme often targets older adults, exploiting their emotional distress and financial need. Scammers impersonate or falsely affiliate themselves with government entities or law firms to create a false sense of security.
"Contact with scammers impersonating law firms continue to pose many risks, including the theft of personal data and funds from unsuspecting victims to the reputational harm of actual lawyers being impersonated," the bureau wrote.
How to spot the scam
For residents' safety, the FBI has provided a list of red flags to help identity this scheme:
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Impersonation:Scammers will often impersonate real lawyers or legitimate law firms, using fake documents with their firm's insignia. They may also claim to be affiliated with various U.S. and foreign government entities, but no real law firm is an authorized partner with any U.S. government agency
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Fake entities:They might reference a fraudulent government or regulatory entity like the International Financial Trading Commission (INTFTC). Always double-check to see if such an agency exists
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Suspicious payment methods:Scammers frequently request payment in cryptocurrencies or prepaid gift cards. The U.S. government will never use these methods for law enforcement services
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Insider knowledge:They may have knowledge of the exact amounts and dates of previous wire transfers and the third-party company where the victim previous sent scammed funds
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False promises:The scammer may claim the victim is on a government-affiliated list of scam victims and that they can recover their money through "legal channels" or a "crypto recovery law firm"
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Secrecy:Scammers may add victims to a group chat on messaging apps like WhatsApp for "secrecy," where fake foreign bank processors and attorneys will request fees to "verify identity" and "withdraw funds"
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Lack of credentials:They may be unwilling or unable to provide credentials or a license, appear on camera or conduct video meetings.
How to avoid these scams
In order to prevent falling for this scam, people can use the following measures:
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Use a "Zero Trust" model meaning that no one should automatically be trusted and that every request should be verified
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Be cautious of law firms contacting unexpectedly, especially if no crime has been reported to any law enforcement or civil protection agency
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Request video verification or documentation or a photo of their law license. If this cannot be readily provided, assume it's illegitimate
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Request verification of employment for anyone claiming to work for the U.S. government or law enforcement. This can be checked by calling the local officer for the associated government entity and requesting verification on the identity of the person who has reached out
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Keep records, including recordings of video chats of all interactions
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Require notarized proofs of identity from the supposed lawyers before continuing any further communications and transactions
The FBI urges victims of these scams or those who suspect they may have been victimized to report the suspicious activity to their local FBI field office and the FBI's Internet Crime Compliant Center (IC3) which can be found here .
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