The website is believed to be operated by West African criminals based in Kiev, Ukraine, who have previously attempted to run recovery scams using IFW’s name.

Purporting to be IFW Global, the fraud syndicate behind this scam is taking payments via cryptocurrency. However, instead of delivering intelligence, investigative or asset recovery services in return, they are simply stealing the funds. 

Red flags on the fraudulent website

In reality, cryptocurrency is not a payment method IFW Global would ever offer nor accept. Aside from this key factor, there are several warning signs on the fake website that point to its illegitimacy:

• No contact details for the USA, UK or Philippines in the header;
• No notice bar messaging; 
• No service pages – the menu only has Home, About and Contact pages;
• Broken videos, images, phone call functionality and award icons;
• Inflated figures in the section for key stats, which are in the wrong order;
• No clickable links in the service page and article features towards the bottom of the page; and
• Missing information in the footer.

If you notice any of these errors or inconsistencies, you are on the scam website. Do not take any further action, despite any claims attempting to convince you otherwise.

The contacts behind the scam

IFW Global has identified several contact details in association with this fraudulent website. 

Firstly, the registrant of the domain uses the email address [email protected].

Additionally, a ‘Kate Peterson’ has been getting in touch with people pretending to work for IFW Global. 

A ‘Thomas Miller’ using the address [email protected] has made contact with people claiming they can recover funds and is asking for a security deposit.

Furthermore, a ‘Jakub Wierzcholski’ is sending Whatsapp messages from the number +44 7553 079786 and emails from [email protected] in an attempt to pose as one of our team members. 

However, IFW Global can confirm that we do not employ any of these individuals. They are cyber criminals impersonating IFW to steal money from victims.

If you are approached by one of the above contacts, do not reply. Instead, please let us know if you are being targeted as soon as possible so that we can take action against the fraudsters.

Always compare the URL

Before parting with any money, you need to double check the website’s URL, which can be found in your address bar. If it is not an exact match for www.ifwglobal.com, then you should exit it immediately. You should always ask for a video call, as IFW has a strict policy in place to meet its clients face to face on a Zoom or Teams call.  Most scammers will never meet on a video call.

Have you already fallen victim to this online scam? Please contact IFW’s head office on 1300 439 456 or [email protected] now. 

As a global leader in fraud investigation, our experienced specialists utilise exceptional resources and exclusive connections to crack down on criminals around the world – and this illegitimate website is no exception.