LINDEN

An online investment friend asks you to hand cash to a courier.

In this crypto investment scam, a contact you met online sends a courier to collect your cash, and the FBI explains the warning signs and what to do.

Source: This post is based on the FBI public service announcement Scammers Use Couriers to Collect Cash in Cryptocurrency Investment Scams, published by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) on June 15, 2026.

It can start with a friendly message from someone you have never met. Over time that person becomes a trusted contact, talks about how well their cryptocurrency investments are doing, and helps you start. Weeks later, you are asked to withdraw cash and hand it to a stranger at your door. This is a crypto investment scam. Do not hand over any cash, stop replying, and talk to someone you trust.

The FBI has warned that scammers are sending couriers to collect cash in these cryptocurrency investment scams, usually from senior citizens. Here is how it works, and the calm steps that help keep you and your family safe.

What the scam looks like

The FBI describes the scheme in three steps.

Building trust, then suggesting crypto. Scammers reach out on social media, through unsolicited texts, or by presenting themselves as cryptocurrency experts. Some pose as someone looking for a business or romantic relationship. Once trust is built, they suggest investing in cryptocurrency and tell the person to download specific trading apps and open accounts. Victims send wire transfers and are shown websites displaying made-up returns, which encourages them to invest more.

Switching to cash. Because legitimate banks may stop suspicious transfers, scammers say in-person cash pickups are needed to keep investing, or to pay supposed fines before money can be withdrawn. Sometimes the fake platform says the account has been “flagged”, and the scammer suggests a courier as a way around it.

The courier visit. Once the cash is ready, the scammer sends a courier to the person’s home or a public place. To make it seem official, the person is given a code, such as a password or the serial number of a US dollar bill, which the courier shows on arrival. After the pickup, the balance on the fake platform appears to grow. When the person tries to withdraw, they are told to pay taxes and penalties, and the cycle starts again.

The FBI notes that couriers collecting cash in person are also used in grandparent, law enforcement impersonation and tech support scams. See courier fraud with fake police or bank callers.

Who it targets

According to the FBI, the people targeted are usually senior citizens. Because the scheme often grows out of what feels like a genuine friendship or romance, people may not want to talk about it, which is why gentle, judgement-free family conversations matter so much.

Warning signs

  • Someone you have only met online or by text starts talking about cryptocurrency investing.
  • You are quickly showered with praise and attention. The FBI calls this “love bombing”.
  • You are told to download a particular trading app or send wire transfers to accounts you do not recognize.
  • Your returns look remarkably good on a website or app.
  • You are told your account is “flagged”, or that your bank’s checks are a problem to get around.
  • You are asked to withdraw cash and hand it to a courier, often with a password or dollar bill serial number to “confirm” who they are.
  • You must pay taxes, fines or fees before you can withdraw your own money.

How to protect yourself

  • Keep your personal and banking information private. The FBI says not to share your home address or agree to meet strangers to hand over cash or valuables for an investment.
  • Stop replying to unsolicited messages from people you do not know, including “wrong number” texts.
  • Verify identities through a third party before trusting someone new.
  • Do not click unexpected pop-ups, links or attachments, and do not call numbers from them without checking first.
  • Research before investing. Look for articles, forums or reviews suggesting a platform is a scam. The FBI suggests searching the web address, details from the site, and screenshots of the app, not just the name.

A simple family plan

  • Check in kindly. Ask relatives about new online friends or investments with curiosity, not criticism.
  • Agree a pause rule. Nobody withdraws cash for an investment, or for anyone met online, without first talking to a trusted family member.
  • Remember the bottom line. A real investment platform does not send a courier to collect cash at your door.

Scams don’t stop at borders

This warning comes from the FBI in the United States, but online “investment friends” and fake crypto platforms reach people everywhere, including the UK and Canada. Wherever you live, it is worth staying informed and taking a calm moment to talk things over before sending money to anyone you have only met online.

The same pattern elsewhere

In the UK, the City of London Police issued a romance fraud warning on May 4, 2026, saying people across the UK lost more than £102 million to romance fraud last year. It says romance fraud is often combined with fake investment schemes, including cryptocurrency, and urges people never to send money, cryptocurrency or gift cards to someone they have not met face to face. For the version without a courier, see someone you met online who wants to help you invest.

What to do if you’ve been affected

Being targeted is nothing to be ashamed of. Stop sending money, and:

  • US: file a complaint with the FBI’s IC3 and report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you are 60 or older and need help filing with IC3, call the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline on 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
  • UK: call 159 to reach your bank (Stop Scams UK) and report to Report Fraud or on 0300 123 2040.
  • Canada: report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
  • Contact your bank on the number printed on your card or statement, not a number from a message.

The FBI suggests including as much detail as you can: names used, websites, apps, phone numbers and profile names, any bank account or crypto wallet details you were given, and screenshots of messages.

How Linden helps

Linden is being built so older adults and their families can talk a money decision through with someone they trust. When a new investment comes from someone you met online, that conversation is worth having before any cash leaves the house.

Sources

All scams