FBI Anchorage sees increase in fraud schemes

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The FBI Anchorage Field Office has seen an increase in reported fraud schemes targeting Alaskans.

The schemes are typically carried out through unsolicited phone calls, in which scammers impersonate law enforcement or government officials to extort money or steal personally identifiable information.

The scammers also often falsely accuse the victim of failing to report for jury duty or missing a court date, and may claim an arrest warrant has been issued for the victim. The scammers pressure the victim to pay an immediate fine to avoid arrest or other negative consequences.

Payment is demanded in various forms, with the most prevalent being cash inserted into cryptocurrency ATMs, prepaid cards and wire transfers.

The FBI states legitimate law enforcement authorities will not call members of the public to demand payment or threaten arrest.

In 2024, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 17,000 complaints about government impersonation scams, with victims losing more than $405 million nationwide. In Alaska, reported victim losses exceeded $1.3 million.

The FBI encourages Alaskans not to provide or verify personally identifiable information to someone they have only met online or through unsolicited contact. They also should not send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or other assets. More information on scam prevention can be found here.

Anyone who believes they are a victim of this scam or any other online fraud scheme should cease all contact with the scammers immediately, notify their financial institution and safeguard any financial accounts, contact their local law enforcement and file a complaint with the IC3.

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