How scammers are using the Iran conflict to try to steal your money and information

With global attention focused on the conflict in Iran, it’s no surprise scammers have already added that situation to their story lines. Some recent reports to the FTC about imposter, romance, and fake charity scams include an Iran twist. The details change, but the scammer’s goal is always to trick you into paying or sharing your personal information. Here are some examples of these scams — and how to protect yourself. Scammers contact you unexpectedly about a fraudulent charge. The call or text appears to come from your bank or a company you know. They say they’ve detected charges from Iran on your account (a lie). They transfer you to someone who says they work for a government agency like the FTC (that’s another scammer) who convinces you to share your bank account information. But the truth is government agencies will never ask you to share financial information. Learn more at ftc.gov/imposters. Scammers pretending to be a friend or love interest in the military ask for money. Perhaps you’ve been chatting for a while with someone you met online. Now they tell you they’re deployed to Iran. Suddenly you get an urgent request to send them money — maybe because they can’t access their bank account or they have a medical emergency. But that’s when you know you’re likely dealing with a romance scam. Scammers create fake charities that sound and look official. They might claim to help people displaced or affected by the conflict in Iran and pressure you to donate in cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. Before you donate, go to ftc.gov/charity to learn how to research, what questions to ask, and how to spot a charity scam. Act right away if you think you’ve sent money or given your information to a scammer, and report them at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.