FBI Alert: Fake Lawyers Now Preying on Crypto Scam Survivors—Here’s How to Spot Them

Scammers never sleep—they just evolve. The FBI just dropped a bombshell warning: fraudsters are impersonating lawyers to double-dip on crypto victims. Because why steal once when you can exploit trauma for round two?

How the scam works: After you’ve been drained by a fake DeFi protocol or rug pull, these 'legal saviors' slide into your DMs. They promise to recover your lost funds—for a hefty upfront fee, of course. Spoiler: Your ETH isn’t coming back.

Red flags to watch: Unsolicited contact, requests for private keys (seriously?), and guarantees of 100% recovery. Pro tip: Real lawyers don’t operate via Telegram stickers.

The irony? This grift preys on the very lack of regulation that made crypto Wild West 2.0. Maybe next time someone says 'we don’t need oversight,' show them this FBI bulletin.

Red flags and safeguards

The FBI’s latest warning reveals these fake law firms employ disturbingly effective tactics to appear legitimate. One telltale sign is their use of authentic-looking legal documents bearing stolen letterhead from real firms, combined with claims of special partnerships with government agencies, an immediate red flag since no private law firms hold such official designations.

What makes these scams particularly insidious is the level of research conducted on victims. Fraudsters often know precise details about their targets’ previous losses, including the exact amounts stolen, dates of transactions, and even the names of the original scam operations.

This intimate knowledge disarms victims, making the fake lawyers appear more credible. The scheme typically escalates when victims are directed to register accounts at what appear to be foreign banks, complete with professional-looking websites that are actually sophisticated facades designed to harvest more funds.

The FBI’s defense playbook

Law enforcement experts recommend adopting what they call a “Zero Trust” approach when dealing with any unsolicited recovery offers. This means automatically treating any unexpected contact with skepticism until proven otherwise.

The FBI stresses that any refusal to appear on camera or provide basic licensing information should be considered an immediate dealbreaker.

The FBI also advises maintaining detailed records of all interactions, including saving email correspondence and recording video calls when possible. This documentation could prove invaluable for investigators.