The cruelest scams go after people who have already been scammed once. You lose money, you tell the scammer you're reporting them to the FBI, and days later an "FBI agent" appears in your Facebook Messenger or Telegram, ready to help. He just needs you to click a link to "update your IC3 report."

On July 20 the FBI warned that criminals are impersonating the bureau itself, including IC3, its official fraud-reporting website. Some run fake agent profiles that contact past victims directly. Others use AI deepfake videos of senior FBI officials to promote lookalike IC3 sites that collect your details and hand back a fake reference number.

The real FBI never contacts you through social media or messaging apps, never sends a link to "update" a report, and never asks for money to recover your losses.

The rule: The only way to reach IC3 is to type www.ic3.gov into your browser yourself. Anyone who contacts you first offering to recover lost money is a scammer. If you're 60 or older, the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline is 1-833-FRAUD-11.

Source: FBI IC3: FBI Warns of Scammers Impersonating the IC3

Strip away the story (the prize, the overdue bill, the panicked grandchild) and nearly every scam ends the same way: instructions to pay by one specific method. Wire transfer. Cryptocurrency. Gift cards. A payment app like Zelle or Cash App.

The FTC flagged this tell in a July 22 alert. People lost more than $4 billion last year to scams paid by bank transfer and crypto alone. Scammers insist on these methods because the money moves instantly and is nearly impossible to get back.

Real businesses offer several ways to pay and don't care which one you choose. The payment demand itself is the red flag, no matter how convincing the story. Pay by credit card when you can, since it comes with dispute rights. Already paid a scammer? Call your bank or payment provider right away.

The rule: "You can only pay by [wire / crypto / gift card / payment app]" means it's a scam. Every time. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Source: FTC: A way to spot scams: how someone asks you to pay

Somewhere right now, a "seller" is closing on a piece of land that belongs to someone else. Maybe a vacant lot you own and rarely think about.

The FBI issued an alert about parcel owner impersonation. Criminals pull an owner's name from public property records, build a fake ID, email address, and internet phone number around it, then contact a local realtor to list the parcel. The fake seller communicates only by email and text, refuses to meet in person or on video, pushes to close fast at a below-market price, and has the proceeds wired away.

Two cheap defenses close the door. Enroll in your county recorder's free notification service, which alerts you whenever a document is filed under your name. And if you're buying land, be wary of any seller who won't meet face-to-face.

The rule: A seller you can never meet, a rushed closing, and a below-market price on vacant land add up to fraud. Report suspected deals at ic3.gov.

Source: FBI IC3: Protect Your Property from Illegal Sales Through Parcel Owner Impersonation

You're helping someone you love find addiction treatment. You search the name of a clinic your doctor recommended, the top result shows exactly that name, and the number you call answers with a calm "Admissions."

Except it isn't the clinic. The FTC warned on July 20 that scam operators buy paid search ads that display a real treatment center's name while routing you to their own phone number and website. The generic greeting hides the switch, and callers get steered into one of their facilities instead. The FTC has already sued one operation, Evoke Wellness, over this scheme.

The trick lives in the sponsored results at the top of the page. Scroll past anything labeled "Ad" or "Sponsored," or better, type the clinic's web address into your browser and get the phone number there.

The rule: When searching for medical care of any kind, never call the number in a paid ad. Report impersonators at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Source: FTC: Looking for a substance use disorder clinic? Scroll past paid ads