The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning about a scam operating on the Tron blockchain that impersonates the agency in order to harvest personal information from cryptocurrency users. The alert was shared through FBI New York‘s account on X, drawing attention to a deceptive token that carries the FBI’s name and official seal. The scam targets Tron wallet holders with alarming messages designed to provoke an immediate response.
Recipients of the fraudulent message are told that their wallet is currently under investigation. They are then directed to complete a fake anti-money laundering verification process through an online portal, with the threat that failure to comply will result in a total block on their assets. This type of urgent, fear-based language is a hallmark of phishing schemes that have become widespread across the cryptocurrency sector.
The scale of crypto-related fraud in the United States has grown considerably in recent years. In April, the FBI reported receiving more than 140,000 complaints referencing cryptocurrency scams during 2024, with total losses reaching $9.3 billion — a 66% increase compared to the previous year. The fake FBI token follows the same psychological playbook used in many of these cases, exploiting users’ fear of legal consequences to extract sensitive data.
The agency is urging Tron users who come across the fraudulent token to exercise caution and to refrain from submitting any identifying information to websites connected to it. For those who may have already provided personal details to the scammers, the FBI is recommending they file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center. The bureau has not disclosed how many users have been affected so far.
This warning comes in contrast to a previous instance in which the FBI itself deployed a token as part of a law enforcement operation. In 2024, the agency created a fictitious artificial intelligence-related token called NexFundAI to serve as bait for fraudsters engaged in market manipulation. The token was specifically designed to attract individuals involved in pump-and-dump schemes within the crypto market.
The sting operation proved effective, resulting in charges against at least 18 individuals who had manipulated the token’s trading volume. That operation highlighted the FBI’s willingness to use blockchain-based tools in its investigative work, while the current scam underscores how bad actors are now turning the agency’s own reputation against everyday crypto users.
Originally reported by CoinTelegraph.
