New 'Phantom Hacker' scam: What is it and how to protect yourself
FBI Denver warned the public on Thursday of a new scam dubbed “The Phantom Hacker” that they say targets older adults.
According to FBI Denver, scammers impersonate technology, banking and government officials in a complex ruse to convince a typically older victim that foreign hackers have infiltrated their financial account. The scammers then instruct the victim to immediately move their money to what they say is a U.S. government account to protect their assets.
“These scammers are cold and calculated," said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek in a news release. "They are targeting older members of our community who are particularly mindful of potential risks to their nest eggs. The criminals are using the victims’ own attentiveness against them. By educating the public about this alarming new scam, we hope to get ahead of these scammers and prevent any further victimization.”
According to FBI Denver, some victims are losing their entire life savings.