The FBI is warning of a scam targeting older people in which fraudsters pose as technology, banking or government officials reporting an account breach by foreign hackers.
The new scam, dubbed “The Phantom Hacker,” uses phone calls, text messages, emails or web browsing pop-up windows to contact potential victims in an attempt to convince them that foreign hackers have infiltrated their financial accounts. The scammers then instruct the victim to immediately move their money to an alleged U.S. government account to “protect” their assets, according to the FBI.
Total fraud losses reported by older people in 2022 were up 84% from 2021, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center’s 2022 Elder Fraud Report. More than 88,000 victims over the age of 60 reported total losses of $3.1 billion nationwide last year, according to the FBI report.
In Hawaii, 399 residents over the age of 60 were targeted and lost more than $16.3 million.
“These scammers are cold and calculated. They are targeting older members of our community who are particularly mindful of potential risks to their financial nest eggs,” said Steven Merrill, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Honolulu field office, in a news release. “The criminals are using the victims’ own attentiveness against them. By educating the public about this alarming new scam, we hope to get ahead of these scammers and prevent any further victimization.”
The FBI is urging the public not to click on unsolicited pop-up windows, links sent via text messages, or email links or attachments.
Do not contact the telephone number provided in a pop-up, text or email and avoid downloading software at the request of unknown individuals who contact you. Unknown individuals should not be given control of computers, the bureau warns.
Federal authorities will never request anyone to send money to the government via wire transfer, cryptocurrency or gift/prepaid cards, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The FBI asks victims to report fraudulent or suspicious activities to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Provide the name of the person or company that contacted you and the methods of communication used, including websites, emails and telephone numbers.
