The crypto investment scam that sends a courier for cash.

A professional-looking account balance can be entirely fictional—even when a courier arrives with the correct password.

The FBI is warning about cryptocurrency investment schemes that move from online persuasion to an in-person cash pickup. The approach often begins through social media, an unsolicited text, a supposed investment expert or a relationship cultivated over time.

A victim is directed to a trading website or application that displays deposits and apparent returns. When banks block suspicious transfers—or when the victim tries to withdraw—the operator introduces a new requirement: cash must be delivered to a courier to continue investing, clear a penalty or release the account.

Why the pickup feels legitimate

The scammer may give the victim a dollar-bill serial number, code word or password that the arriving courier repeats. That coordination creates the appearance of a controlled financial process. After the cash changes hands, the fraudulent platform may show a matching credit, reinforcing the illusion that the funds reached a real investment account.

The display is not proof of custody, trading or profit. The FBI says withdrawal attempts may trigger demands for additional cash described as taxes, fines or account-release charges.

Signals to stop

• An online investment contact asks for cash, valuables or an in-person handoff.
• A platform requires additional payment before allowing a withdrawal.
• A stranger uses romance, urgent financial advice or rapid emotional attention to build trust.
• The supposed investment firm discourages independent contact with a bank, attorney or family member.

What to preserve

Do not meet a courier or disclose a home address. Preserve the website address, application name, profiles, messages, telephone numbers, wallet addresses, bank instructions and any description of the courier. Report the incident to local law enforcement and IC3.