The US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) issued an alert on Thursday about crypto scam artists impersonating crypto exchanges to steal victims’ funds.
According to the newly released warning, the scam begins with the scammer contacting the intended victim, usually through an unsolicited phone call or message pretending to be an employee at a crypto exchange.
The con artist falsely informs their target that someone is trying to break into or compromise their account. The scammers then deceive the victim by telling them they must safeguard their account by providing login information, clicking on a link, or providing identification information.
Using this information, the crypto fraudster can access the victim’s account and wipe it of funds.
The FBI is urging potential targets of this digital asset scheme to avoid clicking links, downloading attachments, opening attachments, or answering calls made by suspected scammers. “If you receive a call or message indicating any kind of account problem or compromise, do not respond, even if it appears official and indicates you must act immediately,” the alert reads.
However, if you answer a call, the FBI suggests you “hang up” immediately. “Call the cryptocurrency exchange’s official phone number to verify if there is a problem,” the federal agency states. “Do not use any phone number the caller provides.”
