Peoria Police have issued an alert about a conniving new phone scam dubbed the “Phantom Hacker,” which has been targeting senior citizens, fleecing some of their entire life savings. The multi-stage scam begins with a tech impostor convincing victims to inadvertently grant them remote access to personal devices under the guise of virus protection service, the force said in a warning to residents.

The first phase kicks off with a bogus tech support call or message, luring the victim to dial a number for "assistance." Once contact is made, the scammer manipulates the victim into downloading software that allows remote access to the victim's computer or phone. The fraudster then feigns a virus scan, quickly declaring the device hacked and prompting the victim to check financial accounts for irregular activity, the police detailed.

Step two introduces a fake financial representative who scares the victim with claims that their accounts have been compromised. The grifter advises moving funds to a supposedly "safe" third party, sometimes posing as a Federal Reserve account or other governmental agency, urging transfers through wire, cash, or cryptocurrency. Victims are warned to keep silent about the real reasons behind the transfers.

In the event that a victim grows wary, the deception deepens with an impersonation of a government official, complete with fraudulent emails and official-looking letterheads to feign legitimacy. The phony official pressurizes the victim to relocate their funds to a new "alias" account until the victim caves, as the Peoria Police revealed.

Authorities are advising the public to be wary of unsolicited messages, and refrain from engaging with suspicious phone numbers provided in pop-ups, emails, or texts. Furthermore, police underscore that unknowingly installing software from unknown sources is a critical misstep. The U.S. Government, police underscore, does not solicit wire transfers to odd accounts, or payment in cryptocurrencies or gift cards, according to the official statement.