LINDEN

Someone says the FBI can get your lost money back.

Recovery scams target people who already lost money, with fake FBI or IC3 agents offering to get it back. This post explains what to do.

Source: This post is based on the public service announcement FBI Warns of Scammers Impersonating the IC3, published by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) on July 20, 2026.

You have already lost money to a scam, and now a message arrives from someone who says they are with the FBI. They say your money has been found, or that they can help you get it back, and they send a link to “update” your report. This is a recovery scam, and it is aimed at people who have already been hurt once. Do not click the link, do not pay any fee, and go to ic3.gov yourself by typing the address.

The FBI’s IC3 warned about criminals impersonating FBI personnel and the IC3 on July 20, 2026, updating an earlier warning from April 2025. The FBI says the real IC3 will never ask for payment to recover lost funds.

What the scam looks like

The FBI says almost all of the people who complained reported that the scammers claimed to have recovered their lost money, or offered to help recover it. The FBI says this is a ruse to target people who have already lost money again. Contact can come by email, by phone, through social media or forums, or through an advertisement.

The FBI describes two recent versions of the recovery scam:

  • A fake FBI agent on social media. After someone realises they are being defrauded and says they will report it to the FBI, they are later contacted on Facebook Messenger by someone posing as an FBI agent. The impersonator talks to them on Telegram and Messenger and sends a link to “update” their IC3 report. The FBI says the link may contain malicious code or be used to collect more financial information.
  • A fake video and a fake website. Scammers post AI-generated videos, also called deepfakes, of a senior FBI leader encouraging people to file complaints on a spoofed IC3 website. The FBI says the fake site looks similar to the real one but only asks for a name, phone number, email address, scam type and estimated loss, then gives a reference number and says someone will be in touch.

If the first loss came from an investment with someone you met online, be especially careful. The same people may still have your details.

Who it targets

The FBI says this scheme targets previous victims. Someone who has just lost money, and who badly wants it back, is exactly who these scammers look for. The FBI notes that people aged 60 or over can get help filing a genuine IC3 complaint from the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline.

Warning signs

  • A message or call from someone who knows about the money you lost and says they can recover it.
  • Someone claiming to be from the FBI or IC3 who contacts you on Facebook, Telegram or another app. The FBI says IC3 does not investigate crimes or recover funds through these platforms.
  • A link to “update” or “complete” your IC3 report.
  • A video of a well-known official urging you to file a complaint on a particular website.
  • A request for a fee, gift cards or cryptocurrency before your money can be returned.
  • Small differences in email addresses, phone numbers, website addresses or spelling.

How to protect yourself

  • Know how IC3 works. The FBI says IC3 will never contact people directly by phone, email, social media, apps, online chat or public forums. If more information is needed, people are contacted by FBI employees from local field offices or other law enforcement officers.
  • Never pay to get money back. The FBI says IC3 will never ask for payment to recover lost funds, and will never refer you to a company that asks for payment.
  • Type the address yourself. Go to www.ic3.gov by typing it into the address bar, rather than using a search engine. The FBI says to avoid “sponsored” search results and to check that the address ends in .gov.
  • Do not share sensitive information on any website you are not sure about.
  • Do not send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or other assets to people you know only online or over the phone.
  • Slow down when something stirs strong feelings. The FBI advises taking a moment to verify what you are seeing or hearing before you respond.

A simple family plan

  • Talk about it after any scam. If someone in the family has lost money, agree that any later offer to get it back will be checked together first.
  • Save the real address. Write down www.ic3.gov and keep it with your important papers.
  • Agree a no-fee rule. Nobody in the family pays anyone who promises to recover lost money.
  • Report fake accounts together. The FBI says to report accounts that impersonate IC3 to the social media platform.

Scams don’t stop at borders

This alert comes from the United States, but people who have lost money anywhere can be contacted again by someone promising to get it back, often while posing as a police or government agency. Wherever you live, it is worth staying informed, and wise to pause and check before sending any money to someone who says they can recover what you lost.

The same pattern elsewhere

In the United Kingdom, Report Fraud issued a public advisory about calls that appear to come from Report Fraud on July 29, 2026. It warned that telephone numbers can be spoofed, so a number that appears to belong to Report Fraud does not prove the call is genuine. If you are unsure, it advises not sharing personal or financial information, ending the call, and contacting Report Fraud using the official details on gov.uk.

What to do if you’ve been affected

If you have clicked a link, shared details or paid a “recovery” fee, please do not feel ashamed. These scammers deliberately target people at a difficult time. Act quickly:

  • US: file a complaint on the real IC3 website 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 the message or the call.

How Linden helps

Linden is being built so older adults and their families can talk a money decision through with someone they trust. After a scam, a second opinion before paying anyone who promises to get the money back can stop the harm from happening twice.

Sources

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