---
title: FTC Warns of Scammers After NY Mag Finance Columnist Lost $50K in Voice Phishing Hoax
metaTitle: "FTC Warning After 50k Vishing Scam"
description: An imposter posing as an FTC official in a vishing attack manages to defraud a financial advice columnist out of $50k; even savvy targets can fall prey.
slug: ftc-50k-vishing-scam
date: "2024-02-16T10:34:34-06:00"
image:
  src: "https://cdn.securelogix.dev/slx/images/ftc-warns-of-scammers.webp"
  alt: "Extreme closeup of a man's mouth as he holds a mobile phone by his cheek."
sourcePublisher:
  name: New York Post
  url: nypost.com
sourceArticle:
  url: "https://nypost.com/2024/02/16/business/ftc-warns-of-scammers-after-ny-mag-finance-columnist-lost-50k-in-vishing-hoax/"
legacySlug: ftc-warns-of-scammers-after-columnist-lost-50k-vishing-hoax
tags: [FTC, Impostor Scam, Vishing]
status: published
---

Federal Trade Commissioner Chair Lina Khan warned the public about scammers after a New York Magazine financial advice columnist revealed she handed over $50,000 to a mystery man who claimed to be an agency investigator.

“Being the victim of a scam can be devastating” Khan posted on X.

“Nobody from the FTC will ever give you a badge number, ask you to confirm your Social Security number, ask how much money you have in your bank account, transfer you to a CIA agent, or send you texts out of the blue.”

Khan said Americans lost $2.7 billion last year because of vishing, or voice phishing — where scammers impersonate government agents over the phone…