FBI warning of new "Phantom Hacker" scam.
The FBI is warning the public of a recent nationwide increase in "Phantom Hacker" scams, significantly impacting senior citizens. This Phantom Hacker scam is an evolution of more general tech support scams, layering imposter tech support, financial institutions, and government personas to enhance the trust victims place in the scammers and identify the most lucrative accounts to target.
The "Phantom Hacker" scam involves three phases. In Phase 01, a scammer contacts a victim posing as tech support to warn them that their financial accounts are at risk of a virus on their computer. The victim's computer, however, is unaffected by any virus. In Phase 02, the scammer contacts the victim, posing as a representative of a relevant financial institution. The scammer directs the victim to transfer their money to a 'safe' third party account such as the Federal Reserve or other government agency. In Phase 03, the scammer poses as a government official to further have the victim move their money.
Learn more about this scam at: https://www.ic3.gov/Media/Y2023/PSA230929
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