Deepak Gupta

Government and authority impersonation · Also called IC3 impersonation, fake FBI agent, fake law enforcement recovery

Fake FBI or IC3 contact

A fake FBI or IC3 contact is a scam where criminals pose as FBI agents or staff of the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, usually targeting people who already lost money. They claim they can recover stolen funds, then ask for fees, bank details, or personal information, taking even more.

How it works

Scammers find past scam victims through social media, support groups, forums, or data from the earlier scam.
They make contact by email, phone, social media, or a messaging app, claiming to work for the FBI or IC3.
They say the victim's lost money has been traced or recovered and can be returned.
They ask for a fee, tax, or the victim's bank and identity details to release the funds.

Red flags

Someone says they are from the FBI or IC3 and contacts you by phone, email, social media, or a messaging app.
They offer to recover money you lost to an earlier scam.
They ask for a fee, tax, or payment before the money can be returned.
They ask for bank login details, card numbers, or identity documents.

If you are targeted

Stop contact and do not send money or share financial details.
Contact your local FBI field office using the number on fbi.gov if you want to check any claim of FBI involvement.
If you shared bank details, contact your bank at once.
Report it. Our Report a scam page lists where to report in your country, such as ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US.

Where to report, by country

Prevention

For individuals

Remember that IC3 does not contact individuals directly by phone, email, social media, or apps, and does not charge to recover funds.
Treat any unsolicited offer to recover lost money as a scam.
Never share sensitive information with people you have met only online or by phone.

By the numbers

Figures are for the reporting category this scam falls under, not this scam alone.

Recovery scam losses reported to the FBI IC3 in 2025, which may include losses from the earlier scam (part of Losses reported to the FBI IC3 in 2025)	$1.4B	US, 2025, FBI IC3
Government impersonation losses reported to the FBI IC3 in 2025	$797.9M	US, 2025, FBI IC3

Real cases

No documented case in the atlas yet. New cases are added as they are sourced.

Delivered through: Email phishing, Voice phishing (vishing)

How official datasets classify it

FBI IC3: Government Impersonation
FTC: Government Imposters
Scamwatch: Money recovery scams

Questions

Will the FBI contact me to return money I lost?: The FBI says IC3 will never directly contact individuals by phone, email, social media, or apps, and will not ask for payment to recover lost funds.
How do I report a scam to the real IC3?: Go to ic3.gov yourself and file a complaint there. Do not use links or numbers sent to you by someone claiming to be from the FBI.