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It’s easy to believe that we are smart enough to avoid being scammed. But an FBI investigation just helped shut down an international scheme that has been in the works for years, with hundreds of victims losing millions of dollars in gold bars, crypto, and cash.
Three call centers in India, believed to be part of the scheme, have been shut down, and six suspects have been arrested and accused of defrauding 660 people in the U.S. of more than $48 million.
The operation launched in 2022, with fraudsters impersonating government officials — and yes, of course, tech support.
Read more: 7 common banking scams (and how to avoid becoming a victim)
Many of the victims who lost their life savings in the most recent scam were located in Montgomery County, Maryland, according to the FBI.
One woman, 82, said in a news conference Monday that she received an email claiming her Social Security number had been suspended. She called the number provided but was told she and her family were in danger, according to WTOP.
“They told me they were watching me and my house. I was so worried — I can’t eat, sleep. I’m so afraid to go out,” the woman said. “I started even thinking about suicide, all that. Just terrible.”
She drained her life savings and wired it to the perpetrators.
Officials at the press conference said the victims were unlikely to recover their money.
Read more: ‘Phantom payments’ are the first warning sign you’re being targeted by scammers
The latest fraud schemes not only target victims with cash, but also convince them to buy cryptocurrency or gold bars.
“Victims are then pressured to withdraw funds or purchase gold coins or bars to ‘protect’ their money,” the Guilford, Conn., police department recently warned its citizens. “The gold or cash is handed over to a courier for ‘safekeeping,’ sometimes described as placement in a ‘secured locker or ‘federal vault.'”
The criminals search social media and even dating sites for possible victims. Text contacts are becoming more prevalent, with scammers initiating contact as if by mistake or by pretending to offer employment.
Another scam tactic: getting the victim to speak with someone else posing as a government official or law enforcement.
“They may claim your personal information has been compromised and to contact the agency immediately or that the victim’s identity was allegedly used in a crime, such as a drug deal or money laundering,” the FBI warned in a release.
Scammers have more of a technical advantage these days and might:
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Display official phone numbers in their calls to you. Called “spoofing,” it can appear that you are actually talking to a government agency or a large, well-known technology company.
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Use fake IDs and credentials of government or law enforcement agencies.
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Claim that your computer, personal identification, or financial accounts have been breached and may be involved in association with a major crime. The scam may involve a pop-up message on your computer or phone with “tech support” requesting remote access to your computer.
Most scams include urgent deadlines that require immediate action by the victim.
Officials said that government agencies and law enforcement will not call or email anyone threatening arrest or demanding payment in crypto, gift cards, cash, or wire transfers.
Anyone who believes they may be a victim of a scam, even if they have not suffered a financial loss, should contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.