https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA251125
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued a warning about the alarming rise in account takeover fraud schemes, urging the public to be vigilant against social engineering techniques perpetrated through texts, calls, and emails. The agency has received over 5,100 complaints about account takeover fraud since January, resulting in losses exceeding $262 million.
Cybercriminals have become increasingly adept at gaining access to financial institutions, payroll platforms, and health savings accounts, which they then proceed to drain of funds. The FBI has observed cases where hackers impersonate financial institutions to obtain account access or manipulate victims into handing over login credentials, after which they reset passwords and take full control of the accounts. Additionally, cybercriminals have been exploiting fears about fraudulent transactions by sending spoofed messages about fake charges, tricking victims into providing their account information.
The warning comes ahead of the holiday shopping season, where billions of dollars will be spent online. Security experts have cautioned that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will supercharge cybercriminal campaigns, allowing them to quickly create tailored, polished scam sites that can impersonate legitimate brands. Cybercriminals have already registered hundreds of malicious, holiday-themed domains, as well as thousands of domains mimicking household items, in an effort to lure unsuspecting shoppers into executing malicious code and falling victim to scams, extortion, and theft.