FBI alerts public to deepfake and IC3 impersonation scams

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued an urgent warning about a sophisticated scam in which criminals impersonate FBI personnel and the agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to defraud people who have already been victims of cybercrime. In an updated public service announcement published on July 20, 2026, the bureau detailed how scammers are using AI-generated deepfake videos, fake social media profiles, and spoofed websites to exploit victims a second time.

The scammers initiate contact through various channels, including email, phone calls, social media advertisements, and online forums. After gaining a victim’s trust, they often move the conversation to platforms like Facebook Messenger or Telegram. In one common scheme, a victim informs their initial scammer of their intent to file an official IC3 complaint. Shortly afterward, a person posing as an FBI agent contacts the victim on Facebook Messenger, provides a link to supposedly update the complaint, and directs them to Telegram. This link may contain malicious software or be designed to harvest additional financial information.

A second, increasingly polished scheme involves AI-generated videos that...