Today, the FBI warned that couriers are being used to recover cash and valuables from victims of technical support and government impersonation scams.
The public service announcement comes as reports of crimes in which fraudsters use couriers to collect cash and precious metals such as gold and silver from victims, often elderly, who they have instructed to sell their valuables, have spiked. This is in response to this.
“The FBI is warning the public about scammers who instruct their victims, many of whom are elderly, to protect their funds by converting assets into cash or purchasing gold, silver, and other precious metals. ” said the FBI. “The criminals then arrange for a courier to meet the victim in person and collect the cash or precious metals.”
Some scammers impersonate technical support personnel or U.S. government employees, but we've also seen them impersonate technology companies, financial institutions, or U.S. government employees as part of complex schemes.
They will claim that the target's financial accounts have been compromised or are under imminent threat, and will urge victims to liquidate their assets as a safeguard.
Victims are often forced to convert assets into cash or precious metals, or are instructed to wire funds to a metal vendor who ships the purchased metal directly to the victim's residence.
The scammer then arranges for a courier to meet the victim at his or her home or various public locations to collect the cash or precious metals. To further legitimize the scam, criminals may also provide victims with a passcode to authenticate transactions with the courier.
Scammers also promise to keep the victim's assets in a secure account, but then disappear and leave the funds behind. This elaborate scheme targets vulnerable populations, often the elderly, and has already caused significant financial losses to countless victims.
“From May to December 2023, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) observed an increase in this activity, with cumulative losses exceeding $55 million,” the FBI warned.
How to protect yourself from fraud
To protect yourself from such fraudulent schemes, the FBI advises never sending gold or other precious metals to legitimate businesses or U.S. government agencies.
At-risk individuals should also not share their home address or meet with strangers to send cash or other valuables following a telephone request.
The FBI also shared the following tips to significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to similar scams.
- Never click on unsolicited pop-ups on your computer, links sent via text message, or email links or attachments.
- Do not contact unknown phone numbers provided in pop-ups, text messages, or emails.
- Do not download software at the request of unknown individuals who contact you.
- Do not allow strangers to access your computer.
Victims of such scams should immediately report the scammers to the FBI and include as much information as possible about the criminals (e.g., name, contact method, bank account used, name of metal dealer used for purchase, etc.) This is strongly requested. The money is sent to the scammer by courier).
In October, the FBI warned of a surge in “phantom hacker” scams affecting seniors, with estimated damages exceeding $542 million from January to June 2023.
A year ago, the company issued a warning to scammers impersonating financial institutions' refund payment portals and using the organization's credibility to defraud victims, especially the elderly.
