TL;DR: On June 15, 2026, the FBI warned that scammers, often targeting seniors, arrange in-person cash pickups by couriers in cryptocurrency investment scams. They claim the cash protects an investment on a platform that still looks legitimate. The alert gives no dollar amounts or complaint counts.

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What happened

The FBI’s alert I-061526-PSA sets out a repeating loop. Scammers make contact through social media, unsolicited texts or by posing as crypto experts or romantic or business contacts, then suggest investing in cryptocurrency and have the victim download trading apps. Victims wire money to accounts they believe belong to the platform, and the platform shows fake returns.

When banks flag or deny transfers, scammers say cash pickups are required to keep investing or to pay fines to withdraw. The victim withdraws cash and a courier arrives at their home or a public place, authenticating with a U.S. dollar bill serial number or a password. After pickup, the displayed balance rises. When the victim tries to withdraw “profits”, the scammer demands fake taxes or penalties, often requiring more pickups.

Why it works

A courier turns a blocked bank transfer into a face-to-face handover that banks cannot interrupt. The rising balance after each pickup is the hook that keeps people paying.

Red flags include unsolicited contact from strangers, “love bombing”, pressure to invest through unfamiliar apps, fees, taxes or penalties before withdrawing, banks flagging transfers followed by a demand for cash, and requests to meet strangers to hand over cash or share your home address.

Background: our explainers on pig butchering scams and realistic expectations for crypto scam recovery. See also Crypto Kiosk Scams: 13,460 Complaints and $389M in 2025 and FBI Warns of Hospice Fraud Targeting Medicare Recipients. For wider numbers, see our data page on how scam money moves.

What the FBI advises

If you have already sent money

Contact your bank or card issuer immediately and ask to stop or recall the payment, then report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, for internet-enabled crime, to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Our guides on how to report a scam to IC3, how to reverse a wire transfer scam and US bank impersonation scams walk through the steps, and what to do after a scam, wherever you live covers the first 24 hours. Scammers often start with details taken from past leaks, so run our free digital footprint check to see what of yours is already exposed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do crypto investment scammers collect cash?

They send couriers to the victim’s home or a public place after claiming that cash is needed to protect the investment or pay fines, according to the FBI alert of June 15, 2026.

How does the courier prove who they are?

The FBI says the courier authenticates with a U.S. dollar bill serial number or a password.

Why does the balance go up after a pickup?

The fake platform shows a higher balance to build trust, then demands fake taxes or penalties when the victim tries to withdraw.

Does a bank warning mean I should use cash instead?

No. A bank flagging or denying a transfer is a warning sign. Stop and verify through independent sources before sending any money.

Sources

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