FTC Warning: Recovery Scammers Target Previous Fraud Victims for a Second Time

The FTC has warned that scammers are selling victim lists to criminals who then pose as recovery services. Fraud victims are being targeted a second time and asked to pay upfront fees.

Fraud victims hit twice as recovery scammers move in for second strike

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning to consumers about a growing scheme in which recent fraud victims are targeted a second time by so-called "recovery scammers," abc7news.com reports.

Scammers routinely sell lists of their victims to other criminal networks that specialise in this type of follow-up fraud. These operators then contact people who have already lost money to a previous scam and offer to help them recover their funds — for a fee.

The individuals behind these schemes may pose as representatives of a law firm, a consumer advocacy group, or a government agency. In some cases, they impersonate the FTC itself. Victims are told their lost money can be retrieved, but are first asked to pay a "retainer fee" or an "administrative charge" before any assistance is provided.

The FTC's guidance is clear: do not trust unsolicited contact from anyone offering to recover money lost in a prior fraud. No legitimate recovery service will demand payment upfront.

Following a fraud, victims should limit contact to law enforcement agencies and their own financial institutions. Even then, the FTC advises communicating only through known and verified channels — not through phone numbers or email addresses provided by the party making contact.

The warning comes as recovery fraud continues to compound financial and emotional harm for people who have already experienced a scam. By the time a second approach is made, victims may be both financially vulnerable and more likely to trust someone who appears to understand their situation.

Paying any upfront fee to a self-described recovery service is, according to the FTC, itself a fraud.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)