The FBI has issued an alert about an escalation in cryptocurrency investment fraud, where scammers are dispatching couriers to collect cash directly from victims at their homes. This tactic represents a significant shift from traditional remote-only fraud schemes and introduces additional physical risk to victims.
The scams typically begin with contact through social media platforms, text messages, or dating apps, where fraudsters pose as investment advisors or romantic interests. Victims are gradually convinced to invest in cryptocurrency through what appear to be legitimate trading platforms. These platforms display fake account balances and fabricated investment returns designed to build trust and encourage victims to deposit increasingly larger sums.
When victims attempt to transfer funds and their financial institutions flag or block the suspicious transactions, scammers adapt their approach. They tell victims that cash collection is the only way to continue their investments or that in-person payments are required to cover taxes, fees, or other charges before they can access their supposed profits. The courier pickup method allows scammers to bypass banking security measures that might otherwise prevent the fraud.
The physical component of these schemes creates additional dangers beyond financial loss. Victims who allow strangers into their homes or meet them at other locations face potential safety risks. The courier tactic also makes it more difficult for law enforcement to trace the funds, as cash transactions leave fewer digital footprints than electronic transfers.
The FBI recommends that individuals be extremely skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities, particularly those involving cryptocurrency. Anyone contacted by supposed investment advisors through social media should verify their credentials through independent sources. Most importantly, legitimate investment firms never send couriers to collect cash payments, and any request for in-person cash pickup should be treated as a clear warning sign of fraud. Victims or potential victims should report suspicious activity to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2026/06/16/crypto-scammers-couriers-cash-pickups-fbi-warning/