Tag Archive for: phantom

Brunswick woman target of ‘phantom hacker’ scam

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A document that scammers sent a Brunswick woman as they attempted to steal $90,000 in the “phantom hacker” scam. Courtesy photo

A Brunswick woman was recently targeted in an elaborate “phantom hacker” scam involving people posing as tech support workers, banking agents and government officials.

The FBI last month issued an alert regarding this sort of scam and said some victims have lost their life savings.

That nearly happened to a 64-year-old Brunswick woman targeted through a pop-up ad she said she received when she was trying to log into her Social Security and Facebook accounts using the Chrome browser late last month.

“They are so good at what they do,” said the woman, who requested anonymity because she said she’s embarrassed she fell for the scam. “This is ‘Better Call Saul’-level crime.”

The ad said her computer was frozen and her Microsoft account was hacked and directed her to call a customer service number. She called and was asked to download a program that the FBI said gives the scammers remote access to her computer, which she did. The impostor said her account was used to download child pornography and her credit card information was compromised on the dark web.

She was told to call “Det. John Krebs” of the Federal Trade Commission, who claimed criminals involved in drug and human trafficking had used her personal information to set up shell companies and the FTC was investigating whether she was involved. He texted her official-looking documents with the FTC seal and told her to not disclose the information to anyone because the agency viewed her as a possible cooperating witness.

“They had me so convinced I was a suspect in an international crime ring and the only reason they weren’t battering down my door was I was being a cooperative witness,” she said.

She was then called by “Financial Officer Eric Miles” of the FTC, who told her to give him her Social Security number and attempted to persuade her to transfer $90,000 out of her banking accounts to keep it safe from the traffickers. “John Krebs” called her and reminded her not to disclose the information to anyone. “Eric Miles” said the traffickers were…

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Phantom Hackers Threat Spreading Across U.S.

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(TNS) — A growing nationwide scam could target your grandparents, the FBI warns.

“Phantom hacker” scams are on the rise and are disproportionately affecting older people, according to a Sept. 29 FBI public service announcement. It’s an “evolution of more general tech support scams,” federal officials say, as these “phantom hackers” claim to be technology support, bank staff and government officials in order to gain the trust of those they’re scamming.

The three-step scam can result in people losing their “entire banking, savings, retirement, or investment accounts,” officials say, all while the scammers are convincing them to “protect” their assets.


In the first half of 2023, 19,000 complaints were filed with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, according to the release. The estimated loss from the reported scams totaled over $542 million.

Around 66% of total losses were from people over 60 years old, officials say.

FBI offices in San Francisco and Cleveland also sent out specific advisories for their regions about the “phantom hacker” scam.

“These scammers are cold and calculated. They are targeting older members of our community who are particularly mindful of potential risks to their nest eggs. The criminals are using the victims’ own attentiveness against them,” FBI special agent in charge John S. Morales said in the San Francisco release.

‘Phantom hackers’ and their 3-step approach

The FBI breaks down the “phantom hacker” scam into three phases.

The first phase starts with a “tech support imposter,” officials say. The scammer typically reaches out as someone who works at a legitimate business by phone, text message or email. They tell the person that they’re looking to assist them, where they eventually get the scam victim to download software on their personal computer that gives the hacker remote access to their device.

Then, the scammer lies and tells the person they’ve detected a virus on the computer and instructs the person to open up their financial accounts to ensure no one has taken money out illegitimately, officials say.

After targeting a specific…

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‘The Phantom Hacker’ Torments Residents of El Paso, Texas

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(TNS) — El Paso is warning the public of a new scam dubbed “The Phantom Hacker.” Scammers are impersonating technology, banking, and government officials in a complex ruse to convince a typically older victim that foreign hackers have infiltrated their financial account. The scammers then instruct the victim to immediately move their money to an alleged U.S. Government account to “protect” their assets. In reality, there was never any foreign hacker, and the money is now fully controlled by the scammers. Some victims are losing their entire life savings, a press release said.

“These scammers are cold and calculated. They are targeting older members of our community who are particularly mindful of potential risks to their nest eggs. The criminals are using the victims’ own attentiveness against them,” said Special Agent in Charge John S. Morales, in the release. “By educating the public about this alarming new scam, we hope to get ahead of these scammers and prevent any further victimization.”

“The Phantom Hacker” Scam: How It Works


The FBI has observed repeated behavior by criminals involved in “The Phantom Hacker” scam. The ruse is often perpetrated in three major steps:

Step 1 — Tech Support Imposter

In the first step, a scammer posing as customer support representative from a legitimate technology company initiates contact with the victim through a phone call, text, email, or a pop-up window on their computer and instructs the victim to call a number for “assistance.”

Once the victim calls the phone number, a scammer directs the victim to download a software program allowing the scammer remote access to the victim’s computer. The scammer pretends to run a virus scan on the victim’s computer and falsely claims the victim’s computer either has been or is at risk of being hacked.

Next, the scammer requests the victim open their financial accounts to determine whether there have been any unauthorized charges — a tactic to allow the scammer to determine which financial account is most lucrative for targeting. The scammer informs the victim they will receive a call from that financial institution’s fraud department…

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Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty Coming Out on September 26

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The world of Cyberpunk 2077 is set to expand dramatically with the introduction of a new expansion, Phantom Liberty, announced to launch on September 26th on Xbox Series X|S. This expansion will invite players back into the heart of the dystopian megapolis Night City, offering an intriguing twist on the familiar setting.

Phantom Liberty features the return of the cyber-enhanced mercenary, V, tasked with a high-stakes mission unlike any seen before saving the NUSA President. The narrative thrusts players into a whirlwind of espionage and intrigue that requires more than firepower to navigate successfully.

This new expansion takes place in the dangerous district of Dogtown, a previously unexplored area in the expansive cityscape. Here, players must forge new alliances and make difficult decisions to survive. It’s a web of shattered loyalties, sinister political machinations, and sharp-edged tension – the classic ingredients of a potent spy thriller.

Given the reputation of Cyberpunk 2077, we expect an immersive experience, blending the high-intensity combat that players have come to expect with a more strategic, shadowy side of Night City. The expansion promises a unique combination of stealth, strategy, and digital warfare and the moral ambiguity inherent in any espionage operation.

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