Fake FBI “IC3” Agents Re-Scam Past Victims

How the scam plays out

This attack specifically targets people who have already been scammed once, an audience that is emotionally invested in recovering their losses and therefore primed to respond to anything that looks like a follow-up on their case. Two distinct approaches were described. In the first, a victim receives an email or phone call, then someone claiming to be an FBI agent reaches out on Facebook Messenger and moves the conversation to Telegram. The fake agent sends a link and asks the victim to update their IC3 report, a request that can lead to malicious code delivery or the collection of additional financial data.

In the second approach, scammers circulate AI-generated deepfake video of a senior FBI official urging people to file complaints through what looks like the official IC3 site. The fake page mimics the design of ic3.gov closely and accepts a single-step complaint form asking for a name, phone number, email, scam type, and estimated loss. After submission, victims get a reference number and a promise that someone will follow up, reinforcing the illusion of legitimacy.

Why it succeeds

The pretext works because it exploits people who already believe they are engaged with law enforcement over a real complaint. Moving the conversation from a mainstream platform to Telegram removes the interaction from a monitored, reportable channel. The deepfake video adds a layer of authority that is difficult for many people to question in the moment, especially when it appears to come from a recognizable government source.

What to watch for

• Unsolicited outreach claiming to be from the FBI or IC3, especially via phone, email, or social media
• A push to click a link to "update" an existing complaint
• Conversations that shift from an official-seeming channel to a private chat app like Telegram
• Video or audio that looks or sounds unnatural, especially when it is used to create urgency
• A website that resembles ic3.gov but has a non-.gov domain, minimal functionality, or links that loop back to the home page

Building resistance

IC3 has no social media presence, never initiates contact by phone, email, or chat app, and never asks for payment to recover funds. Anyone checking the site should type the official address directly into the browser, such as www.ic3.gov, rather than clicking a sponsored search result or a link sent by an unknown contact. Encourage staff and consumers to pause and verify any video or urgent message claiming to be from a government official before responding, and to treat any request to "update" a prior report as a red flag rather than a routine follow-up.

Does the FBI or IC3 ever call or email victims about their complaints?

No. IC3 has no social media presence and never initiates contact by phone, email, or chat app, according to the FBI's guidance cited in this report.

How do scammers use deepfake video in this scam?

Scammers circulate AI-generated video clips of a senior FBI official urging people to file complaints, directing them to a lookalike site that mimics the design of ic3.gov.

What should I do if someone contacts me claiming to be an FBI agent about an IC3 report?

Treat the outreach as suspicious, do not click any link they send, and instead type the official IC3 address directly into your browser rather than following a sponsored search result.

What are signs a site claiming to be IC3 is fake?

Watch for a domain that does not end in .gov, an overly simple single-step complaint form, and links on the page that just loop back to the home screen instead of leading anywhere else.