TL;DR: On July 20, 2026, the FBI warned that scammers impersonate IC3 and FBI officials to target people who have already lost money, offering to recover it. They use fake agents on Messenger and Telegram, a spoofed IC3 site and AI-generated video. IC3 never asks for payment to recover funds.

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What happened

The FBI’s alert I-072026-PSA replaces its April 2025 alert on the same topic. Scammers reach people by email, phone, social media ads or forum posts and focus on those who have already been scammed, offering to recover the money or track down the original thieves.

In one scheme, after a victim threatens to report the fraudsters, an impersonator contacts them on Facebook Messenger or Telegram as an “FBI agent” and sends a link to “update” their IC3 complaint, which may install malware or collect financial data. In another, AI-generated videos show a senior FBI leader urging people to file complaints at a fake IC3 site where only the complaint form works. Scammers also use AI video on live calls with fake officials.

Why it works

Victims are emotionally and financially raw, so a promise of recovery is powerful. Deepfake video and a copycat site add false proof, and the fear or hope the message provokes pushes people to act before checking.

The FBI lists red flags: unsolicited contact about recovering money, social media pages claiming to be IC3, requests for payment to recover funds, links to “update” a complaint, look-alike URLs, and video artifacts such as distorted hands, odd facial features, shadow errors or lag.

Background: our explainers on deepfake scams. See also FTC Weighs New Rules for Ad Platforms Over Impersonation Scams and “Learn to Trade” Ads: FTC Warns of Investment Training Scams.

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

Does IC3 ever contact victims on social media?

No. The FBI says IC3 has no social media presence and never contacts people by phone, email, social media, apps, chat or forums. Follow-up comes from local FBI field offices or other law enforcement.

Does IC3 charge to recover money?

No. IC3 never asks for payment to recover funds and never refers people to companies that do.

How do the scammers make it look real?

They use fake agent profiles, a look-alike IC3 website with a working complaint form, and AI-generated video of officials.

Where is the real reporting site?

Type www.ic3.gov directly into your browser and confirm the address ends in .gov.

Sources

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