Overview
- The FBI issued a public service announcement on June 15–16 warning that criminals now send in-person couriers to pick up cash from victims after banks block suspicious transfers.
- Scammers first build trust through social media, dating apps, texts, or fake crypto experts and then steer victims to fraudulent trading platforms or withdrawal processes.
- When electronic transfers fail, fraudsters authenticate couriers with an agreed password or a U.S. dollar bill serial number and arrange pickups at homes or public spots.
- Victims often see fake increases in their virtual wallet balances after the pickup and are then coerced to pay more for bogus taxes or fees, repeating the cash-collection cycle.
- The FBI urged people to research platforms, protect personal details including home addresses, refuse to hand cash to unknown couriers, and file detailed complaints with law enforcement; investment scams caused the largest share of 2025 cybercrime losses in U.S. reports.