Overview
- The FBI says the multi‑phase fraud has cost Americans over $1 billion since last year.
- It typically begins with a pop‑up, text, or email claiming a computer problem that can give scammers a way to monitor activity.
- The scheme then escalates to calls from people posing as bank staff and even purported FBI agents.
- Unlike direct account theft, victims are manipulated into transferring funds themselves, according to Cleveland FBI Agent Charles Johnston.
- Officials urge people not to call numbers in pop‑ups or click email links, to consult their bank or financial adviser before moving money, and to report incidents to the IC3.