How Victims Become Victims Again
The FBI has issued a warning about a widespread scam in which criminals impersonate representatives of the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Between December 2023 and February 2025, the agency documented over 100 such incidents. The common thread? Scammers are targeting individuals who have already fallen victim to fraud.
Attack scenarios vary: some victims receive emails, others get phone calls, and some are contacted through social networks or forums. But the goal is always the same — to convince previous victims that their stolen money has been found and is ready to be returned. In reality, it’s just a way to gain access to their financial information and scam them again.
One particularly cunning variant involves fraudsters creating fake female profiles on social media. They join groups where people who have suffered financial scams gather and pose as fellow victims. After a short exchange, they recommend contacting a supposed IC3 director named “Jaime Quin,” who presents as male and communicates via Telegram. “Quin” assures the victims that their money has been located and then requests banking details, transfers, or even the installation of malicious software.
The scammers may change names, platforms, and stories, but the core tactic remains: manipulation through trust, emotional exploitation, and the reuse of previous trauma to orchestrate a second deception. The FBI strongly advises against sharing any personal or financial information with people known only online, and warns never to send money, cryptocurrency, or gift cards to individuals you do not personally know.
