Scammers Use Couriers to Collect Cash in Cryptocurrency Investment Scams
Scammers posing as investment advisors convince victims to buy cryptocurrency, then send couriers to collect cash in person before the victim discovers the investment is fake.
How it works
A person contacts you by phone or online and pitches a cryptocurrency investment opportunity with promised high returns. They build trust over time and convince you to send money. Instead of wiring funds, they ask you to withdraw cash and hand it to a courier who arrives at your home or a nearby location. Once the cash is picked up, the scammer disappears and the promised investment never materializes.
Red flags to watch for
- Investment pitch arrives unsolicited by phone, text, or social media
- Promise of unusually high or guaranteed returns on crypto
- Pressure to move quickly or act in secret
- Request to withdraw cash rather than wire it
- Stranger shows up at your door asking for an envelope of cash
- Seller wants you to meet at a public place with cash in hand
What to do
Do not send money to anyone promising crypto investment returns you cannot independently verify. If someone asks you to withdraw cash and hand it to a courier, hang up or stop communicating immediately. Call the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov or your local FBI field office. Real investment firms do not send couriers to your home to collect cash.
If this reached you
Source: FBI IC3 . Scam Sentinel summarizes official guidance in plain language; it is a decision aid, not a guarantee.