The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has alerted the public to a phishing campaign that leverages a token on the Tron blockchain to impersonate the agency and collect personal data.
FBI New York posted warnings after users reported receiving an on-chain message tied to a token that displayed the FBI name and seal and claimed the recipient’s wallet was “under investigation.” The notice pressured users to complete an alleged anti-money-laundering verification online “to avoid a total block on your assets,” an urgent call to action commonly used in crypto phishing attacks to trick victims into sharing credentials or sending funds.
The bureau said the approach mirrors tactics used in other scams that aim to steal both money and account information. In April, the FBI reported receiving more than 140,000 complaints linked to cryptocurrency scams in 2024, with reported losses totaling $9.3 billion — a 66% rise from the prior year.
Tron users who encounter the fake token are advised to exercise caution: do not follow links, do not provide identifying information to websites tied to the message, and avoid interacting with the token. If you believe you have already submitted information to the scammers, the FBI recommends filing a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
Separately, the FBI has used blockchain tokens in enforcement work. In 2024 the agency created a decoy AI-related token called NexFundAI as part of a sting to expose market-manipulation schemes. That operation led to charges against at least 18 people accused of helping manipulate the token’s trading volume.
Verify messages and on-chain activity independently and report suspicious solicitations to law enforcement or IC3.