Now scammers are impersonating the FBI to victimize people who’ve already been scammed, proving there’s no depth criminals won’t sink to in their quest to squeeze every last penny from vulnerable citizens.
At a Glance
- Over 100 reports reveal scammers posing as FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) agents to target previous fraud victims
- Fraudsters promise to recover lost funds but instead demand payment or sensitive personal information
- Victims are contacted through phone, email, social media, or forums by fake IC3 “employees”
- Legitimate IC3 representatives never directly contact victims or request payment to recover money
- All legitimate fraud reports should only be submitted through the official website: www.ic3.gov
The Second Victimization
As if being scammed once wasn’t bad enough, criminals have figured out a way to kick people when they’re already down. Between December 2023 and February 2025, more than 100 people reported being targeted by scammers posing as agents from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. These vultures specifically prey on those who have already lost money in previous scams, promising to help recover those funds while actually setting up their victims for a second fleecing. This revolting strategy shows just how calculated these criminals have become in exploiting those most desperate for help.
How The Double-Scam Works
The playbook for these government imposters is both simple and effective. They contact previous scam victims through phone calls, emails, or social media platforms, presenting themselves as official IC3 agents with the power to recover stolen funds. One particularly insidious version involves creating fake profiles on social networks and directing victims to contact a fictitious “Chief Director” of the IC3. Once they’ve established this false authority, they hit victims with demands for processing fees, taxes, or sensitive personal information supposedly needed to “recover” the lost money.
What makes this scam especially effective is the emotional vulnerability of the targets. Someone who’s already lost money to fraud is often desperate to recover their losses and may be more willing to believe these false promises of help. These criminals count on victims’ unfamiliarity with actual government procedures and their emotional distress to cloud judgment and create a sense of false hope. The scammers know exactly which psychological buttons to push to extract maximum compliance from people already reeling from financial trauma.
Protect Yourself From Government Impersonators
Here’s a fundamental truth that every American should write down and tape to their refrigerator: the real FBI will never call you offering to recover scammed money in exchange for a fee. Legitimate IC3 employees do not reach out to fraud victims directly, period. They do not solicit payments, they do not ask for your banking details, and they certainly don’t conduct business through WhatsApp or Telegram. The moment anyone claiming to be from the FBI asks for money, you can be 100% certain you’re dealing with a scammer.
The only legitimate way to report internet crimes is through the official IC3 website at www.ic3.gov. Any other method someone suggests is a red flag. If you’ve already been victimized by one of these secondary scams, report it immediately. And remember that healthy skepticism is your best defense against fraudsters. In today’s digital Wild West, assuming communications are illegitimate until proven otherwise is unfortunately the safest default position.
The Government’s Failure to Protect Citizens
What’s perhaps most infuriating about this situation is how our bloated federal agencies, despite consuming billions in taxpayer dollars annually, seem incapable of effectively addressing these scams that target everyday Americans. While they’re busy monitoring parents at school board meetings and prosecuting political opponents, ordinary citizens are left to fend for themselves against increasingly sophisticated criminal networks. The FBI has resources to raid the homes of pro-life activists but apparently lacks the capacity to shut down operations impersonating their own agents.
This situation perfectly encapsulates the fundamental disconnect between our government’s priorities and the actual protection of its citizens. While Washington obsesses over woke initiatives and partisan witch hunts, real criminal enterprises continue to flourish, targeting vulnerable Americans with impunity. The lesson, as always, is that government will not protect you – you must protect yourself through vigilance, skepticism, and a healthy distrust of unsolicited communications, especially those claiming to come from government authorities.
