FBI warns of fake tokens impersonating agency on the Tron network

The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned the public on Thursday not to trust tokens claiming to be affiliated with the agency.

In a post on X, FBI New York urged users on the Tron blockchain network to "exercise caution if they encounter a token purported to be from the FBI."

"If you receive a token from an account with the details below, do not provide any identifying information to any website associated with such token," the FBI said.

An FBI screenshot appears to show a phishing scam using the TRC-20 token standard, where supposed "FBI tokens" arrive in a user's wallet with a demand to disclose personal details under threat of asset freezes for alleged AML violations. It is unclear how many users were affected.

The FBI also directed users to its Internet Crime Complaint Center for reporting suspicious activity. In a 2024 report, the bureau said losses tied to crypto fraud reached billions of dollars, marking a 45% increase compared with 2022. It also highlighted the growing prevalence of so-called “pig butchering” schemes — long-running scams that blend romance and investment fraud.

Such schemes have drawn scrutiny from other regulators as well. The Federal Trade Commission has previously reported more than $1 billion in romance scam losses in a single year, while the FBI has identified crypto-related investment fraud as its largest category of financial losses.

"The FBI is investigating fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms and companies," the FBI said on its site.