U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI/IC3]
Alerts & News
Scams and fraud schemes change constantly, using new technologies, current events, trusted institutions, and familiar forms of communication to reach potential victims. Staying informed provides an essential layer of protection. This page brings together real-time public alerts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning arrests and prosecutions, wanted lists, emerging scams, fraud trends, cybercrime threats, and criminal tactics affecting people across the United States and the world.
Review these alerts regularly, share them with family and friends, and pay attention to changes in offender methods. Awareness does not guarantee safety, but timely, reliable information strengthens judgment, encourages verification, and helps people recognize danger before serious, lasting harm occurs.
Report ALL SCAMS to the FBI at www.IC3.gov
Latest Alerts. Each headline links to the original page on the agency site. Last updated October 23, 2026 12:16 pm.
The Federal Trade Commission is taking action against GovAssist LLC, Entry LLC and Scott Zuckerman, for their alleged involvement in a government impersonation scheme that deceived consumers seeking passport services by purporting to be the federal government or affiliated with the federal government. The FTC alleges the operation uses deceptive paid search ads to impersonate the government or pretend to be affiliated with the government to lure travelers seeking passport services to defendants’ websites and makes false service promises to obtain consumers’ financial and personal information. “Using paid Google search ads and landing pages to impersonate the government and target American travelers is illegal,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Today’s action should serve as a stark…
At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a federal court has permanently banned the operators of an alleged debt relief scheme that targeted seniors and veterans by impersonating banks, credit card companies and government agencies. On October 14, 2026, the court entered a default judgment of $106.8 million against corporate defendants Accelerated Debt Settlement Inc., ADS Resolve LLC, Financial Solutions Group LLC, Unified Capital Services LLC, Mediwerks, Resolution Specialists LLC and Futura Capital banning the corporate and individual defendants involved from the debt relief industry.“Targeting seniors and veterans, pretending to be entities they know and trust, and then robbing them of their hard-earned money is egregious behavior,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC will continue…
The Federal Trade Commission issued its latest report to Congress on protecting older adults, which highlights key trends based on fraud reports submitted by older adults and the FTC’s efforts to combat the problem.The report, Protecting Older Consumers 2025-2026, details the FTC’s efforts to stop unfair or deceptive acts or practices that impact older Americans through law enforcement actions, consumer education campaigns and outreach, and coordination with partners. It also highlights data analysis of consumer reports on fraud targeting older adults, including estimates that the overall cost of fraud to older adults in 2025 could be as high as $119.5 billion, “The FTC is committed to protecting older Americans from scams, including by taking every action necessary to shut down fraud…
The Federal Trade Commission is sending payments totaling more than $9.8 million to consumers harmed by Walmart’s alleged failure to stop scammers that took hundreds of millions of dollars from U.S. consumers using the company’s wire transfer services.In June 2025, Walmart settled FTC charges that the company failed to implement effective anti-fraud policies and procedures, did not properly train its employees and failed to warn customers about potential fraud related to money transfers, according to the complaint.Under the settlement terms, Walmart is required to take appropriate actions to effectively detect and prevent fraud-induced money transfers. Image The FTC is sending checks to 65,022 affected consumers. Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check.Consumers who have…
A federal court has granted the Federal Trade Commission’s request to temporarily halt the activities of Digital Forensics Corporation LLC and its CEO for allegedly defrauding consumers out of millions of dollars using false and deceptive promises relating to “sextortion assistance services.”Sextortion is a rapidly growing threat to Americans, routinely carried out by foreign scammers who threaten to publish a nude or sexual image of the victim unless the victim pays the criminal. In a complaint the FTC alleges that Digital Forensics, along with its owner Dmitry Belkin and several affiliated companies, misled victims of sextortion into paying at least $60 million by falsely claiming that it would provide sextortion assistance services.“Digital Forensics preys on consumers already in crisis, exploiting victims…
David J. Rush, 49, of Ashburn, Virginia, pleaded guilty to executing a scheme to defraud the federal government relating to the misuse of his government position, resulting in a loss of approximately $194 million.
By BCP Staff Here’s the latest twist on FTC impersonators: someone claiming to be an FTC official (who’s really a scammer) calls to say a phone was registered under your name and number and is being used to commit scams in another country. The “FTC official” even reads off their badge ID (it’s a fake badge). If you don’t cooperate, they threaten to deactivate your phone number. Sounds scary? That’s (unfortunately) the point. Read more >
By BCP Staff Sextortion — when someone threatens to share your intimate images unless you pay — can be stressful and upsetting. And figuring out what to do can be overwhelming. While searching for help, you might find companies that offer quick fixes (for a price) but don’t deliver on their promises. One example, according to the lawsuit filed by the FTC, is Digital Forensics, a company behind websites like BlackmailHelpline.com, DigitalForensics.com, CyberBlackmail911.com, and SecurityBreach911.com. Read more >
By BCP Staff Did someone share an explicit image of your child online? Possessing or sharing explicit images of children can be a serious crime — and that includes AI-generated deepfakes. Report the perpetrator immediately to criminal law enforcement and take action to get online platforms to remove the images as quickly as possible. Read more >
The Federal Trade Commission announced today that is considering whether to update its Rule on Impersonation of Government and Businesses or take other action to prevent online platforms from engaging in ad-optimization practices that may be furthering impersonation scams.In an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to be published in the Federal Register, the FTC is seeking comment on the extent to which ad-optimization tools and services offered by social media, search engines and other digital marketplace platforms further efforts by scammers to impersonate legitimate businesses and government agencies using online ads. “Free markets depend on trust, transparency and consumers’ ability to make informed choices. Impersonation scams—especially when amplified by digital platforms that profit from them—do more than rob Americans of…
The NFDC brings together the FBI, federal law enforcement agencies, Offices of Inspector General, and state partners in a first-of-its-kind effort to identify fraud across taxpayer-funded programs.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the capture of Most Wanted Fraudster Emylee Thai, marking six Most Wanted Fraudsters captured in three months. Emylee Thai had been on the run since 2022 and has been arrested after allegedly defrauding Medicare for over $100 million.
Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, a Ukrainian national, was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Payment processing company Humboldt Merchant Services will pay $12 million and be permanently banned from processing payments for merchants with a heightened risk of potential fraud to settle allegations that Humboldt processed payments for merchants that defrauded consumers.According to the FTC’s complaint, Humboldt processed payments for more than 1,000 merchants that were shell entities that served as fronts or pass-throughs for fraudulent companies engaged in unauthorized billing scams, including Legion Media, which the FTC shut down in 2024. “Humboldt was processing payments for companies despite red flags indicating they were scamming consumers,” said Katherine White, Deputy Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “This case underscores the FTC’s commitment to holding companies accountable for knowingly supporting fraudulent businesses.”The FTC’s complaint alleges that…
Global payment processor Nuvei will pay $4.85 million to settle the Federal Trade Commission’s charges that the firm opened and maintained payment processing accounts for merchants that it knew or should have known were engaged in deception, including tech support scams that took millions of dollars from consumers. In its complaint, the FTC alleges that Canada-based Nuvei Corporation and its subsidiaries, Nuvei International Group Limited, Nuvei Limited, SafeCharge Digital Limited and Nuvei Technologies Inc., processed payments for scammers, including tech support scams targeting U.S. consumers. Specifically, Nuvei processed more than $30 million in consumer payments for Reimage, an offshore tech support scam, from 2017 to 2023, according to the FTC’s complaint. “Today’s action underscores the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that our payments…
Manjit Singh Bedi, of Tacoma, was added to the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list along with two other cases from the FBI Tampa and Los Angeles field offices.
The Justice Department announced the disruption of an ongoing scheme by Hamas to raise funds for terrorist operations and recruit supporters.
By BCP Staff Kids face a lot of challenges online: from cyberbullying and scams to digitally altered deepfakes, like nudify apps that create fake nude photos and videos of real people. Even if you’ve had conversations with your child about online safety and sensitive topics like deepfakes, you probably know parents who are concerned about these topics, too. If so, consider using the FTC resources below to help you learn more and share with fellow parents. Read more >
By BCP Staff Health insurance scams happen year-round, but they pick up during Open Enrollment for Medicare and the Marketplace. If you’re looking to find a new plan, you might search online. But before you click on a search result, remember: scammers and dishonest businesses sometimes pay to appear at the top. Read more >
By BCP Staff While the car-buying process can be stressful, whether you’re shopping online or in person, the thought of driving off the dealer’s lot with that sweet ride you’ve had your eyes on can be exhilarating. But imagine showing up at the dealership and finding out the dealer has no record of your order or your payment. And that there’s no shiny car waiting for you! That’s what’s happening to unwitting car buyers who’ve been duped by scammers impersonating a car dealership. Read more >
By BCP Staff Ever tried to pay for parking and discovered you need to scan a QR code to pay? It seems like a convenient way to pay, but it turns out scammers like using QR codes, too. People have reported scammers covering up legit QR codes on parking meters with a QR code of their own. If you scan that scammy QR code, it could take you to a fake site designed to steal your money, your personal information, or both. So, how can you protect yourself from these scams? Read more >
By BCP Staff Recent violent storms, tornadoes, wildfires, heat waves, and extreme flooding are a reminder that severe weather and natural disasters can happen anytime, anywhere, and with little warning. September is National Preparedness Month and it’s a great time to plan for whatever may come your way. Read more >
By BCP Staff The FTC is hearing about a scam targeting some of the hardest working people out there: farmers. Scammers posing as farm equipment businesses are selling (fake) equipment to farmers, who end up empty-handed. Here’s how the scam works and how to avoid it. Read more >
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the launch of the National Fraud Detection Center (NFDC), a prosecutor-led, multi-agency team designed to investigate the most harmful actors defrauding federal government programs, including illicit actors overseas, and those operating fraud schemes across federal programs.
Online bill payment firm Doxo will pay $2.1 million to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the company and two of its co-founders used misleading search ads to impersonate consumers’ billers and misled consumers about millions of dollars in fees they tacked on to consumers’ bills.In a 2024 complaint, the FTC alleged that Doxo and two of its co-founders, Steve Shivers and Roger Parks, used search ads and other advertisements to trick consumers into using Doxo’s third-party bill payment platform to pay utility, car loan and other bills by disguising itself as the official payment channel for those bills. In fact, Doxo’s landing page often featured other companies’ names and sometimes even their logos. Doxo did not, however, have a…
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal court has temporarily halted a bogus credit repair scheme run by a sprawling network of 17 related companies and their principals.The FTC’s complaint alleges that, since at least 2016, Credit Glory, a network of 16 related entities and their five principals (Alexander Brola, Liam Emery, Marko Petkovic, Joshua Curtis and David Naylor), made false and misleading promises about their credit repair services, impersonated debt collection companies and creditors, collected illegal upfront fees and engaged in unlawful subscription enrollment practices. The operation scammed consumers out of nearly $200 million through unlawful up-front and recurring charges.“Using paid Google search ads to target and deceive vulnerable consumers, including military servicemembers, through falsely promising…
A federal jury has convicted a dual U.S.-Ghanaian citizen for his role in a scheme to bribe Ghanaian officials.
By BCP Staff Did you get a package you didn’t order? It could be a brushing scam where a scammer uses your name to leave a fake review for that package you didn’t order. It could also be a sign that someone has (or is looking to steal) your personal information. Read more >
By BCP Staff Veterans across the country have reported getting postcards in the mail saying they (or their spouse) might qualify for extra monthly veterans benefits. But the “Veterans Savings Program” mentioned in the mailer doesn’t actually exist. It’s just a scammer phishing for personal or financial information. Here’s how this scam works so you can avoid it. Read more >
By BCP Staff Many people experience fraud but never report it, and scammers count on you staying silent. Your story — especially when you share it with friends, family, and the FTC — is a powerful tool in the fight against fraud. Here’s why your report matters. Read more >
By BCP Staff It seems like every day, a major weather emergency or natural disaster happens somewhere in the world. To help people affected by disasters like hurricanes, recent flooding in Nepal and Tibet, or recent earthquakes in Venezuela, Japan, and Colombia, you might want to donate money to help. Scammers know that and hope to steal money intended for disaster relief. Here’s what to know. Read more >
Dennise Merdjanian, an operator of a student loan debt forgiveness scheme, will be permanently banned from the debt relief industry and telemarketing under a proposed order resolving the Federal Trade Commission’s charges that she and other operators took more than $45.9 million from consumers as part of their illegal student loan debt relief operation.In November 2024, the Commission sued Nevada-based Superior Servicing LLC and Merdjanian alleging they pretended to be affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education and falsely promised student loan forgiveness, bilking millions from student loan borrowers. A federal court temporarily halted the scheme and froze its assets at the request of the FTC. In early 2025, the FTC filed an amended complaint adding several other companies and two scheme operators, Eric Caldwell and David…
Alexander Mashinsky, the former CEO of cryptocurrency platform Celsius Network Inc. (Celsius), and his business partners, Shlomi Daniel Leon and Hanoch “Nuke” Goldstein, will pay a total of $16.5 million to resolve the Federal Trade Commission’s charges that they deceived users by falsely promising that deposits made to their cryptocurrency platform would be safe and always available.Mashinsky and Leon have also agreed to a ban on marketing or selling products or services that can be used to deposit, exchange, invest or withdraw assets. Similarly, Goldstein has agreed to a ban on marketing or selling retail products or services that can be used to buy, sell, deposit, withdraw, distribute or trade cryptocurrency.In its July 2023 complaint, the FTC alleged that Celsius and…
The Federal Trade Commission today issued warning letters to seven companies that appear to have misrepresented certain products as “Made in the USA,” and one company that appears to have misrepresented certain products as “Made in Texas,” despite indications that such products were imported, in whole or in significant part.“When Americans spend their hard-earned dollars on goods marketed as ‘Made in the USA,’ they deserve to have confidence that these products were all or virtually all made in this country,” said Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “We will hold accountable any company that undermines Americans’ trust with misleading or outright false U.S. origin claims.”The letters were issued to companies selling products such as drums, industrial…
Amazon will pay $2.25 million in civil penalties to settle Federal Trade Commission allegations that the online retail giant knowingly violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by refusing to provide transaction records to consumers whose personal information was used by identity thieves to commit fraud.The complaint, filed by the Department of Justice upon notification and referral from the FTC, alleged that in numerous instances, Amazon.com Inc. failed to comply with Section 609(e) of the FCRA, which requires companies to, within 30 days of a consumer’s request, provide victims of identity theft with application and business transaction records about fraudulent transactions made in their names. According to the complaint, Amazon had no written policy to respond to Section 609(e) requests…
Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota—one of the orchestrators of the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme—was taken into custody on June 25, 2026, in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The FBI and LinkedIn have partnered to present possible red flags one might see in an online job listing that could indicate the offer is actually a scam. Visit fbi.gov/scams to learn more.
The FBI is encouraging victims of the OneCoin international cryptocurrency investment scheme whose investments resulted in a net loss to apply for compensation through a special DOJ program before the June 30 deadline.
The Justice Department announced the unsealing of a five-count complaint charging Reda Mazen Rida Sabassi, 38, of San Diego, California, with terrorism, sanctions-evasion, wire fraud, money laundering, and false statement charges in connection with his efforts to divert funds raised through purported charitable campaigns to Hamas and for personal use.
A Mexican national extradited from Mexico was sentenced to 87 months prison for his role in a smuggling organization.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement about the surrender of Said Abdullahi Ereg following his addition to the FBI’s newly established Most Wanted Fraudsters list.
The United States extradited Sedina Christine Tamakloe Attionu, a Ghanaian citizen, to serve a 10-year prison term in Ghana for convictions on more than 70 criminal counts.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation today announced the launch of its Most Wanted Fraudsters list, a new Wanted list dedicated to publicly identifying individuals charged with defrauding the American people.
FBI Director Kash Patel issued a statement about the creation of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list and the announcement of a healthcare fraud takedown in Ohio.
The Justice Department announced unprecedented federal and state cooperation in Ohio in the fight against fraud, including partnerships and a data-sharing agreement to enhance the detection and prosecution of fraud; federal and state charges against nine defendants for their alleged participation in over $42 million in fraud; orders of detention for three defendants, with two additional defendants pending extradition in connection with an additional $15 million in fraud; and the creation of the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list.
According to a 2025 report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, complaints from victims over 60 years old exceeded 201,000 and reported losses were more than $7.7 billion.
Matthew Issac Knoot, of Nashville, Tennessee, and Erick Ntekereze Prince, of New York, were sentenced for their roles in facilitating Democratic People’s Republic of Korea remote IT workers.
Officials announced a series of coordinated actions by the Scam Center Strike Force against Southeast Asian criminal organizations operating scam centers.
The Justice Department announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Gannon Ken Van Dyke, a U.S. Army soldier, with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud, and making an unlawful monetary transaction.
A grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama, returned an indictment charging the Southern Poverty Law Center with 11 counts of wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.
Provided as a service of the SCARS Institute
Return regularly for the latest FBI alerts, since criminal methods continue to evolve. Share credible warnings with people who could benefit, but avoid spreading unverified claims. If you recognize a suspected scam or fraud, stop contact, preserve the evidence, notify your financial institutions when appropriate, and report the crime promptly.
Note: The SCARS Institute is not responsible for the content of these FBI Alerts and information. They are the sole responsibility of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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