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Daily brief — July 25, 2026

Fake FTC/FBI Agents Re-Targeting Scam Victims; Toll Texts Still Surging

Two active imposter campaigns — one mimicking the FTC, one mimicking the FBI's own fraud unit — are hitting people right now, alongside a fresh wave of toll-payment smishing texts.

Published July 25, 2026

Key points

  • FTC confirms scammers are impersonating its own staff, spoofing its real phone number, and using fake ID photos to convince victims to move or withdraw money.
  • FBI/IC3 updated a fraud alert on July 20 warning that scammers now use AI deepfake video and fake IC3 websites to re-target people who already lost money once.
  • Toll-payment smishing texts remain widespread nationally; agencies continue urging people to verify via official channels only.
  • AI-driven romance-investment ('pig-butchering') scams remain active, with reporting describing thousands of simultaneous AI-run conversations funneling victims into fake crypto platforms.
  • AVASC's own incident data lines up closely with each external warning — none of this is isolated to one region or platform.

FTC: fake 'FTC agents' are talking people into emptying their bank accounts

The FTC this month warned that scammers are impersonating its own employees, spoofing the agency's real phone number and even sending photos of fake badges to convince people their money is at risk and must be moved to 'safety.'

This tracks with what AVASC's incident data has logged for weeks: government-impersonation callers posing as IRS, SSA, FTC, or police, using threats of arrest or frozen accounts to pressure immediate payment. AVASC data shows this pattern running continuously from May 9 through July 5, and it remains the single largest category of imposter reports to the FTC.

FBI: fake 'IC3 agents' are re-victimizing people who already lost money

On July 20, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center updated a prior alert to warn that criminals are now impersonating IC3 personnel using AI-generated deepfake video and spoofed versions of the real IC3 website to convince past victims they can recover stolen funds — for an upfront fee.

This is the same 'fake recovery' pattern AVASC has tracked since mid-June: previously scammed people contacted by bogus recovery firms or FBI/IC3 impersonators promising to retrieve lost funds. The FBI has been explicit that it does not operate this way, and any recovery pitch that starts with an unsolicited call or upfront payment should be treated as a second scam.

Still active: toll-payment texts and AI-run romance-investment cons

The unpaid-toll smishing wave that state DOTs and Attorneys General have been flagging since late 2024 hasn't slowed — the FTC's own consumer alert page continues fielding fresh reports, advising anyone who gets a text about an unpaid toll to contact the toll agency directly using a number or site they already know is real, not one in the message.

Separately, cybersecurity and blockchain-analysis reporting this year describes crypto 'pig-butchering' rings using AI to run large numbers of simultaneous romance-investment conversations that funnel victims into fake trading platforms — consistent with AVASC data showing five- and six-figure per-victim losses in cases first logged in early June.

Protect yourself

  • No real government agency will ever tell you to move money to 'protect it,' withdraw cash, buy gold, or pay by gift card or crypto — that instruction is always a scam.
  • If you get an unexpected call or text claiming to be from the FTC, FBI/IC3, SSA, IRS, or police, hang up and contact the agency directly using a number or website you already know is legitimate — never one provided in the message.
  • Be skeptical of any 'fund recovery' offer that contacts you first, especially if it demands an upfront fee — the FBI has stated it does not solicit victims this way.
  • Treat unpaid-toll texts the same way: don't click the link; go straight to your state toll agency's official site or app to check your balance.
  • If a relationship that started online — dating app, wrong-number text, social media DM — leads to a crypto investment 'opportunity,' pause and verify independently before sending anything, especially if you're asked to pay fees to 'unlock' a withdrawal.
  • If you've already been targeted, you are not at fault — report the incident to IC3.gov and the FTC, and consider sharing details with AVASC so we can track the pattern for others.

Sources

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This briefing is public-safe intelligence: it surfaces only indicators and patterns that are already public, alongside protective guidance — never a playbook for scammers. AVASC is not a law firm, investigator, or government agency, and this is not legal or financial advice. If you've been targeted, you can report a scam or explore recovery resources.