The Federal Trade Commission is warning about a scam targeting people who have already been robbed.Scammers were calling and texting recent fraud victims, posing as FTC agents who could recover stolen money and sending photos of fake agency badges to look the part.
The targets had one thing in common: each had lost money to a scam before.Being scammed once can make you more likely to be targeted again.The Identity Theft Resource Center's 2026 Trends in Identity Report found that 25.6% of identity crime victims were managing two or more incidents at the same time.
The report also found that 62.1% of attempted identity misuse cases involved new account applications.Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportWHY SCAMMERS TARGET VETERANS AND HOW TO FIGHT BACKScammers may target the same victim again using details from past fraud to make a new pitch sound believable.(Felix Zahn/Photothek via Getty Images)Scammers often keep track of who has already paid, what worked and how much money was lost.
That can turn one fraud into a longer cycle of repeat identity theft.According to the FTC, this kind of repeat targeting can show up as a fake recovery offer.The caller or texter already knows what happened to you and claims they can help get the money back.
Then comes the catch.They ask for a retainer, processing fee, bank information or other personal details.The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center also warned that fictitious law firms have targeted cryptocurrency scam victims with fake offers to recover funds.
These schemes exploit the emotional and financial strain people feel after a loss.Scam groups keep what the FTC calls "sucker lists." These lists can include a victim's name, address, phone number, type of scam and amount paid.Criminals buy and sell the lists because they believe someone who paid once may pay again.
The same group may call back with a new story.Or it may sell the information to another scammer who uses a different pitch.That is what makes recovery scams ...