The Full Account
Between June 2024 and April 2026, Scam Victim was defrauded of approximately USD $430,000 by a man identifying himself as Justin Thomas Howarth, based in the Columbus, NJ area, over 22 months of sustained contact.
Phase 1 — The Hardware Purchase
Funded cryptocurrency mining hardware with promised returns. Approximately USD $130,000 sent. Hardware never delivered.
Phase 2 — The “Mining Farm”
Contact continued with claims of a mining farm investment. Approximately USD $300,000 sent via Western Union and cryptocurrency over following months, based on promised returns that never materialized.
Payments were requested to a series of frequently-changing cryptocurrency wallet addresses, explained with shifting justifications. Urgency and reassurance were used whenever questions were raised.
Do You Recognize These People?
The following images and public social media accounts are associated with this individual and a known associate. If you recognize either person, please use the contact form.
How This Scam Worked — and How to Recognize It
- Relationship-building over months before any money was requested
- A legitimate-sounding technical premise (mining hardware, mining farm returns) used to justify payments
- Payment requested via Western Union cash pickup and cryptocurrency rather than traceable bank transfer
- Frequently-changing wallet addresses, explained with shifting, technically implausible justifications
- Escalating excuses for delays, paired with reassurance and urgency
- Requests for continued payment framed as “almost there”
Common Questions About This Case
Is Justin Thomas Howarth a scammer?
This page documents a case in which a man identifying himself as Justin Thomas Howarth, based in the Columbus, NJ area, defrauded a victim of approximately USD $430,000 over 22 months through fake cryptocurrency mining hardware purchases and mining farm investments. The case has been formally reported to the FBI and IC3.
Is Justin Howarth’s cryptocurrency mining investment legitimate?
No. The mining hardware was never delivered and the mining farm returns never materialized. Approximately $130,000 was sent for mining hardware and $300,000 for a mining farm investment, none of which produced any returns.
How does the Justin Howarth crypto scam work?
The scam involves months of relationship-building before any money is requested, followed by a legitimate-sounding technical premise. Payments are requested via untraceable methods like Western Union cash pickup and cryptocurrency. Wallet addresses change frequently with shifting justifications, and escalating excuses for delays are paired with reassurance and urgency.
Has Justin Thomas Howarth been reported to law enforcement?
Yes. This case has been documented and formally reported to the FBI and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
What social media accounts does Justin Howarth use?
Known accounts include Facebook under the name Justin Howarth and Instagram under the handle @jhowieee111 (previously @_justin_howarth_). He operates with a known associate referred to as “Juan” who acts as a mule.
This Case Has Been Reported
This case has been documented and formally reported to the FBI and the IC3. This page exists to warn others and gather information from anyone with a similar experience. If you believe you’ve interacted with this individual, please use the contact form below — all submissions are private.
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