The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned cryptocurrency users about scammers impersonating crypto exchange employees to steal funds through unsolicited messages or calls. These fraudsters create urgency, claiming issues with accounts to trick victims into providing login details, clicking links, or sharing identification information.
FBI Alerts Public to Cryptocurrency Exchange Scams
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning on Aug. 1 about scammers targeting cryptocurrency users by posing as exchange employees. The warning details:
The FBI warns of scammers impersonating cryptocurrency exchange employees to steal funds.
These fraudsters contact victims through unsolicited calls or messages, pretending to be from a cryptocurrency exchange, the FBI detailed, adding that they create a sense of urgency, claiming issues with the victim’s account or potential compromise attempts. The scammers then instruct the victim to provide login details, click on links, or share identification information, ultimately gaining access to and stealing from the victim’s account, the Bureau cautioned.
The FBI described:
The scammer claims the victim must safeguard their account by providing log-in information, clicking on a link, and/or providing identification information.
To protect yourself, the FBI advises crypto investors not to respond to unsolicited communications claiming account issues. Instead, hang up and verify the claim by calling the exchange’s official number. Avoid clicking on links or visiting websites sent by the caller, and never share your account login details. Additionally, be wary of services promising to recover lost cryptocurrency.
What do you think about the FBI’s warning on cryptocurrency exchange scams? Let us know in the comments section below.
