The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Chicago, United States, issued a public alert to locate two individuals who were impersonating federal agents and demanding money in exchange for supposed “security” and to avoid legal proceedings. This warning is part of efforts to curb a wave of fraud that exploits the fear and confusion of victims. According to the FBI, these scammers contacted people at random, posing as special agents, prosecutors, or federal officials, and intimidated them with the threat of being investigated for serious crimes if they did not cooperate. The identity theft included the use of purported official credentials and an authoritarian tone to convince victims of the legitimacy of their claims. How did the scammers operate? According to authorities, the criminals used a psychological manipulation scheme to force their victims to hand over money or sensitive personal information, such as bank data. The calls or communications were presented in a way that made the person feel they were involved in a criminal investigation, usually related to fraud or financial crimes. Although in several cases there is no public evidence that victims sent large sums of money, the FBI emphasized that no legitimate federal agent requests money in exchange for avoiding legal action or asks for payments to “ensure security”.
