Someone you met online, or a stranger who texted you, has been helping you invest in cryptocurrency. Your account shows good returns. Now you are told a courier will come to your home, or meet you somewhere, to collect cash. In a notice dated June 15, 2026, the FBI warned that scammers do exactly this, mostly to older people, and that the investment platform is fake even though it looks real.1
The FBI says couriers who collect cash in person are used in many scams, including grandparent, law enforcement impersonation and tech support scams.1
Your account has been flagged by our compliance team, so bank transfers are paused. To keep investing, a courier will collect your cash deposit today. He will show you a dollar bill with serial number [number] so you know he is with us.
How to tell
- It started with a stranger. The contact began on social media, by an unexpected text, or with someone posing as a cryptocurrency expert, a business contact or a romantic partner.1
- You were told which app to use. The person had you download certain trading apps, open accounts, and send wire transfers to bank accounts at home and abroad.1
- The returns look great on screen. The website shows profits that are not real, to get you to put in more.1
- Your account was “flagged.” Banks may stop suspicious transfers, so the scammer says a cash pickup is required, or the platform says your account was flagged and suggests a courier.1
- There is a password or a dollar bill. You are given a serial number from a dollar bill, or a code word, so you can “check” the courier when they arrive.1
- You must pay to withdraw. When you try to take out your profits, you are told to pay taxes, fines or penalties first, again by courier. The FBI says this starts the loop over.1
- You are showered with attention. The FBI calls this “love bombing”: quick praise and attention that builds trust before the scam.1
What to do
- Do not give out your home address, and do not agree to meet anyone to hand over cash or valuables for an investment.1
- Do not pay a “tax” or “fine” to get your money out. The FBI says the scammers use these fake charges to keep collecting. Do not call any number in a pop-up, text or email until you have checked it another way.1
- Check who you are dealing with through other people, not through the person or the platform itself.1
- Before you put money into any cryptocurrency trading platform, search online for reviews or warnings. Search the web address, details from its pages, and screenshots of the app, not just the name.1
- Do not keep up a conversation with an unknown person who contacted you out of the blue. If it was a “wrong number” text, stop replying.1
If you already clicked or paid
- If you sent cryptocurrency, contact the exchange or cryptocurrency ATM operator right away. Tell them it was a fraudulent transaction and ask them to reverse it and refund your money.2
- If you sent a wire transfer, report it to the wire transfer company right away, tell them a scammer tricked you, and ask for a refund.2
- Keep screenshots of texts and messages, and note any app you were told to use.1
Where to report it
- The FBI. File a complaint with IC3 at www.ic3.gov. Include the name of the person or company, the websites, apps, emails, phone numbers and profile names used, and the bank accounts and cryptocurrency wallets you were told to send money to.1
- Help for people 60 and over. If you need help filing an IC3 complaint, call the Department of Justice Elder Justice Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).1