Salt in the wound: Recovery scammers target recent fraud victims
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It's like rubbing salt in a wound... You fall victim to a scam, only to become a target for other scammers.
Here's how to avoid becoming a victim twice.
The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning to consumers to be on the lookout for "recovery scammers" in the aftermath of a fraud.
Scammers sell lists of their victims to other criminals who specialize in these scams. They reach out to people who were already victims and promise to help them recover their money... for a fee.
These scammers may pretend to be from a law firm, advocacy group or government agency -- even the FTC itself. They offer to help get back the money you lost in the previous fraud... but ask you to pay a "retainer fee" or "administrative charge."
Here's what to do to avoid a second scam.
First, the FTC says don't trust anyone who reaches out to you and offers to recover your lost money.
And definitely never pay upfront for any kind of recovery service.
After a fraud, you should only work with law enforcement and your financial institutions -- and even then, only communicate with them via known and trusted channels.
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