Boston Resident Targeted In FDIC Imposter Scam

BOSTON, MA — A resident recently lost money after falling victim to a scam involving someone pretending to be associated with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

The Roxbury resident received a fraudulent email disguised as being sent from the FDIC that claimed they needed to withdraw money to protect their assets, according to the Boston Police Department. The victim was ultimately instructed to place the money in the rear of a vehicle being used as an Uber courier service.

Boston police are now warning the community about similar imposter scams, particularly those targeting older adults. The Federal Trade Commission has reported a 400 percent increase since 2020 in older adults losing $10,000 or more to imposter scams.

According to police, scammers commonly pose as banks, businesses, law enforcement officers, or government agencies and claim that a victim's account has been compromised or that their identity has been connected to criminal activity. Scammers may threaten arrest or deportation and use spoofed phone numbers, fake credentials, or video calls in an attempt to appear legitimate.

Other scams may involve fake computer security alerts that appear to come from companies such as Microsoft or Apple. Victims are directed to call a phone number before being told that their accounts have been compromised and that they need to transfer money to protect their assets.

Boston police are reminding residents that legitimate government agencies will not ask someone to transfer money to protect it. Anyone who receives a suspicious call or message is encouraged to hang up and contact the organization directly using contact information from its official website rather than information provided by the caller.

Police are also reminding residents not to trust caller ID because phone numbers and names can be faked. Anyone who believes they have fallen victim to a scam is encouraged to file a report with their local police station and report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

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