🚨 FBI Warns of New Agent Impersonation Scam Using Spoofed Phone Numbers

AIGISHIELD SCAM ALERT

The FBI Boston Division has warned consumers about a new variation of an FBI impersonation scam. Criminals are spoofing legitimate FBI phone numbers and using fear, financial-institution impersonation, and encrypted messaging apps to make the scheme appear credible.

How the scam works

The scheme can begin with a caller pretending to represent a financial institution. The caller claims the victim’s personal information was used to open an account connected to illegal firearms or other criminal activity. The victim may then be transferred to someone claiming to be an FBI agent. Scammers can spoof the FBI Boston field office’s real telephone number, provide convincing names or badge information, and pressure the victim to continue communicating through an encrypted messaging application.

Who is being targeted

Members of the public, particularly people who can be frightened into believing their identity or financial accounts have become connected to a serious federal criminal investigation.

Warning signs

Watch for unsolicited calls claiming to be from a financial institution or the FBI; allegations that your identity is connected to illegal activity; caller ID displaying an apparently legitimate FBI number; pressure to keep the matter secret; requests to move the conversation to an encrypted app; threats of arrest or prosecution; or instructions to move money using wire transfers, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or prepaid cards.

What you should do

Do not rely on caller ID alone to verify who is calling. Do not send money or provide sensitive personal or financial information in response to an unsolicited law-enforcement call. End the call and independently contact the agency using contact information obtained from an official government source.

Official source: FBI Boston Division — August 19, 2026. https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/boston/news/fbi-boston-warns-of-new-agent-impersonation-scam-spoofing-fbis-phone-number-before-urging-victims-to-switch-to-encrypted-application

Think it might be a scam? Let AigiShield check it out for you.