Common schemes
- Impersonation: Messages that mimic banks, exchanges, government agencies, or well-known public figures to harvest logins or payments.
- Advance-fee fraud: Requests for upfront taxes, legal retainers paid only in gift cards, or “unlock” fees tied to prior losses.
- Merchandise and donation fraud: Stores or fundraisers that never ship goods, misuse branding, or refuse verifiable contact information.
- Investment pitches: Guaranteed returns, time-limited “private pools,” and contracts that evade written detail or licensed intermediaries.
Red flags: Urgency, secrecy, exclusive payment in crypto or gift cards, refusal to provide a retainer letter with bar information, and guarantees of full recovery.
Politically themed fraud
Fraudsters sometimes borrow patriotic language, counterfeit “official” program names, or mimic political movements to build false trust. No legitimate government benefit requires you to pay strangers in cash apps or crypto to “activate” an account. Verify charities and vendors through independent sources—not links in unsolicited messages.
If you are targeted
- Stop sending funds; secure accounts and enable multifactor authentication.
- Preserve evidence: screenshots, emails, wallet addresses, transaction IDs.
- Report to local law enforcement and, where applicable, the FBI’s IC3 and the FTC.
- Consult licensed counsel for civil options; beware of “recovery rooms” that cold-call victims.
How we can help
We evaluate civil strategies, preservation letters, platform abuse reports, and litigation where facts and jurisdiction support it. We do not promise outcomes or claim affiliation with any political office or movement.