A Lakewood resident narrowly avoided losing a substantial amount of money after nearly falling victim to an elaborate scam in which fraudsters impersonated FBI agents and falsely claimed he was under investigation for serious federal crimes, the resident told TLS.

According to the resident, the scammers emailed him what appeared to be an official FBI document bearing the FBI seal and listing accusations including money laundering, wire fraud, identity theft, and bank fraud. The fake letter claimed that his TD Bank accounts had been frozen as part of a nationwide federal investigation.

The scammers then instructed him to visit his bank and attempt to wire money from his account.

“They told me they shut all my accounts and I should try to send a wire,” the resident told TLS. “If the banker lets it through, it’s proof that they’re overriding the shutdowns.”

The fraudsters claimed the wire transfer was necessary to “protect” his funds while the supposed investigation was underway.

The fake letter used official-looking government logos, legal terminology, and references to federal statutes in an effort to appear legitimate. It also instructed the victim to contact a purported “TD Bank Fraud Department representative” assigned to his case, another hallmark of the scam.

Authorities continue to warn the public that the FBI and other federal agencies do not contact people demanding money transfers, cryptocurrency payments, gift cards, or “verification” wire transfers to resolve investigations or protect bank accounts.

Residents who receive similar calls, emails, or letters are urged to hang up, avoid responding, and independently contact their bank or law enforcement using official phone numbers—not those provided by the suspected scammers.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by a similar scam should report it immediately to their local police department and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).