FBI Warns: Phantom Hacker Scam Draining Seniors’ Retirement Funds

Date: August 24, 2025

Source: Fox News – FBI Warns Seniors About Billion-Dollar Scam

What Happened

The Phantom Hacker Scam is a sophisticated three-phase scheme targeting seniors:

1. Tech Support Trick – Scammers pose as tech support, claiming your computer has problems.

2. Bank Fraud Pretenders – They impersonate your bank’s fraud department, saying your accounts are hacked.

3. Fake Government Officials – Finally, they pretend to be government agents, convincing you to transfer your savings to a “safe” account.

In reality, those accounts belong to scammers. This scheme has already cost Americans over $1 billion. AI tools are making these scams more convincing and harder to detect.

How to Protect Yourself

• 🚫 Ignore pop-ups, links, or attachments from unknown sources.

• 📵 Never call numbers listed in pop-ups, texts, or suspicious emails.

• 🖥️ Don’t download software or give control of your computer to anyone you don’t know.

• 💳 Remember: Government agencies will never ask for gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency payments.

Call to Action

Think of this scam like a relay race—the scammers hand you from one fake role to another until they cross the finish line with your money. Don’t let them pass the baton. Break the chain by stopping at the first sign of a scam.

👉 Your Daily Workout

1. Stop.

2. Hang Up.

3. Report.

Repeat this every time you face a suspicious call, email, or pop-up.

A senior woman engaged in a cybersecurity workshop, learning about online safety.