Scammers Target Victims

Watch For Scams is dedicated to helping you avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

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Scammers Target Victims

One popular lure involves the scammers claiming to have recovered money that the victim has lost, or offering assistance to recovering lost money.

Some scammers create fake profiles of IC3 officials, such as a supposed “Chief Director” named “Jaime Quin,” to lend credibility to their claims. This persona is also active on social media, as some victims pointed out.

This “Quin” engages with victims via Telegram, telling them their funds have been recovered and can be returned, but only after gaining access to more personal and financial data. Of course, that data will then be used for further fraud.

Other recovery scammers will ask you to pay for their services up front or ask you to buy a “tool” they need for their work.

“As soon as you are ready to pay for the extractor software I will send you the Bitcoin wallet address you are to make payment so that we cab purchase the extractor software immediately and help you recover your funds back to you.”

Besides other direct payments, called recovery fees, processing fees, tax clearance, or compliance charges, the scammers will typically try to get hold of:

Financial information like credit card details, bank account numbers, cryptocurrency wallet addresses, and private keys. Personal information like social security numbers, driver’s licenses or passports, login credentials, and answers to security questions.

How to recognize these scams

1. Spoofed email addresses: Emails may appear to come from legitimate IC3 domains, such as support@ic3-gov.org, which closely resemble official addresses. Always check the sender’s email address for inconsistencies or misspellings

2. Urgent language: The messages will often create a sense of urgency, pressuring recipients to act quickly to recover lost funds or avoid penalties

3. Requests for personal information: Scammers may ask for sensitive data, including Social Security numbers, bank account details, or login credentials. Don’t provide them. Legitimate organizations will not ask for sensitive information via email

4. Unsolicited attachments or links: Emails might contain attachments or links that, when clicked, can install malware or lead to phishing websites. Always check with the source in another way of communication whether they sent you an attachment, and hover over links to see their true destination before clicking

5. Report fraudulent and dubious emails: If you receive a dubious email claiming to be from the IC3, report it directly through the official IC3 website.

Remember - always watch for scams!