
FBI warns seniors about billion-dollar scam draining retirement funds, expert says AI driving it
Fox News
Phantom Hacker Scam has cost Americans over $1 billion, targeting seniors through three-phase operation involving tech support, bank, and government impostors
Adam Sabes is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.
The scam operates in three phases: a "tech support impostor," "financial institution impostor" and a "US government impostor."
In the first phase, a tech support impostor will contact victims through text, phone call or email, then direct them to download a program allowing the scammer remote access to their computer. Then, the scammer asks victims to open their financial accounts to "determine whether there have been any unauthorized charges," which the FBI says "is most lucrative for targeting." Afterwards, the scammer will choose an account to target, then tell the victim they will get a call for further instructions from the "fraud department" of the bank hosting their account.













