Common Fraud Scenarios to Know
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received a record number of complaints from Americans in 2023 with potential losses exceeding $12.5 billion. To bring additional awareness to common frauds and scams, IC3 put together prevalent themes of scams reported to the IC3.
If any of these scenarios have happened to you or your loved one in the past, you may have been targeted by a scam:
- Have you been asked to invest in cryptocurrency or in gold futures?
- Has someone claiming to be a bank of government agency requested money or for you to liquidate your accounts in order to clear you of a crime or secure your accounts?
- Has someone claiming to be a tech or customer support representative requested money to remove a virus or child pornography from your computer or secure your account?
- Has someone contacted you claiming a family member is in danger or jail, and you must send money now to avoid further harm?
- Has someone you never met claimed to be romantically interested in you but requests you send them money or something else of value?
- Have you ever been directed to withdraw cash to purchase gold or silver bars to give to someone else?
- Has someone sent individuals to your home or directed you to meet in a public place to drop off or pick up money, or other items of value, to deliver to an unknown person?
- Has someone asked you to obtain cash to either purchase gift cards or deposit in a cryptocurrency ATM - or given you a QR code to deposit money into an ATM?
For additional resources or to file a complaint with the FBI IC3, go to www.ic3.gov.
