What does the letter say?

Criminals misuse the name and logo of the British financial regulator FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) to sound plausible and give a serious impression. Behind this is an increasingly popular scam called “Authority Scam,” warns our cooperation partner Watchlist Internet .

Authority scam

The term “Authority Scam” can be translated as “authority fraud”. Criminals assume the identity of an authority in order to use its authority for themselves and thus access data, steal money or carry out other crimes.

Authority scams can have different faces, as explained here.

The exact wording of the fraudulent email:

Dear customer,
We found your email address in the database of an unregulated brokerage firm.
Law enforcement led to the shutdown of illegal online investment platforms around the world. All cryptocurrency assets have been confiscated.
We request to identify the rightful owners of the assets frozen on the blockchain network.
Regardless of whether this email is for you, please provide your passport/ID copy by clicking the button below.
If you have additional evidence, please provide this as well.
Identify me
Please note that third-party fees may apply when dealing with cryptocurrency.
Stay safe with FCA

Ignore the email!

Especially for actual victims of a fraudulent investment platform, the email may sound genuine and understandable at first glance. Unfortunately, there is no reason to hope, you will not get the lost money back.

But the criminals are not satisfied with just reaching actual victims with the scam. Instead, they state in the email that “regardless of whether this email is intended for you,” a copy of your ID should be sent. In both cases: ignore the email.

We assume that money will be required in addition to the copy of your ID. Don't get involved in this. Do not send copies of your ID or transfer any money!

Pay attention to the following warning signs to expose fraudulent emails!

  • Impersonal salutation: You will only be addressed as “Dear customer” in the email.
  • Email address: The email comes from the email address contact@aydream.studio - this has nothing to do with the FCA.
  • Content: Official authorities would not write you this type of email and then ask for a copy of your ID.

Have you already been a victim?

If you have already sent copies of your ID to the criminals, we recommend reporting them to the police. There is a risk that your ID will be used for further criminal activities.

If you have transferred money, we also recommend that you contact your payment service provider or bank and ask about chargeback options. Unfortunately, the chances of success are slim.  

Source:

Watchlist Internet

This might also be of interest:
Fraudsters use PayPal donation function for criminal purposes
Wave of fraud with fake SMS
Beware of fraud: How a user received a packet of wheat flour instead of an iPhone


If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:

📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.

Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!

* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!


Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )