Honolulu police say scammers are spoofing official contact details and posing as law enforcement or government officials. One reported scheme used a former officer’s name and photograph to impersonate an FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center agent and promote crypto recovery fraud.

The Honolulu Police Department warned the public about scammers impersonating law enforcement and government agencies. According to the department, fraudsters may spoof official phone numbers, email addresses, and documents to make their communications appear legitimate. The warning describes a reported scheme in which a person used a former officer’s name and photograph while claiming to represent the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. The supposed agent promoted cryptocurrency recovery services, a common form of follow-on fraud that may target people who have already lost money to a scam. Police advised the public to be cautious when contacted by someone claiming to recover funds or acting in an official capacity. The department’s alert emphasizes that convincing caller identification, documents, or agency branding do not establish that a contact is genuine. The supplied report does not state how many people were targeted or whether losses were confirmed. Residents can consult the department’s linked warning for its full guidance and reporting instructions.