Welcome back. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has several times recovered cryptocurrency paid to scammers and hackers by companies and individuals. These claw-backs can help make victims whole after cybercrime.

The FBI traced and captured about $2.3 million for Colonial Pipeline after the fuel company paid roughly $4.4 million to ransomware attackers in 2021. 

Now fraudsters are stepping up a con in which they pose as FBI employees, telling targets they have recovered their missing crypto, or offering to do so. More than 100 such cases were reported to the FBI in the 14 months between December 2023 and February 2025.

Some try a straightforward email or phone call. Others set up elaborate personas on social media to lure victims, seeking out financial account details and sometimes upfront payments, the FBI said in a new advisory.

Also today:

• Lemonade discloses driver's license breach
• Home Depot waited 11 years for cyber insurance ruling
• WSJ columnist's advice on online privacy

CISO move: Brad Schulz has added CISO duties to his chief technology officer role at flood insurance giant Neptune Flood. Schulz joined the company in 2018. 

The WSJ Pro Cybersecurity team is Deputy Editor Kim S. Nash (on X @knash99), reporter Angus Loten, reporter James Rundle and reporter Catherine Stupp (@catstupp). Follow us on X @WSJCyber. Reach the team by replying to any newsletter you receive or by emailing Kim at kim.nash@wsj.com.