Crypto scammers have figured out a workaround for one of the oldest fraud prevention tools in existence: the bank teller who says “are you sure about this?” When financial institutions block suspicious wire transfers, scammers are now sending actual human beings to victims’ homes to collect cash instead.
The FBI issued a warning on June 15 about this emerging tactic, which represents a distinctly analog twist in what has been an overwhelmingly digital crime wave. In 2025, crypto-related fraud losses in the US exceeded $11 billion, and the bureau is signaling that the playbook is getting more brazen, not less.
How the courier scheme works
The scam starts the same way most crypto fraud does these days. It falls under the umbrella of what law enforcement calls “pig butchering,” or romance baiting, where a fraudster builds a relationship with a victim over weeks or months before steering the conversation toward investment opportunities.
Victims are shown fabricated gains inside fake wallet interfaces, carefully designed to look like legitimate trading platforms. The numbers go up. The trust deepens. Then comes the ask for more money, often framed as penalty payments or tax obligations that need to be settled before profits can be withdrawn.
