Government impostor scams are always circulating and pose a significant threat to consumers and businesses.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), government impostor scams consistently rank among the most reported types of fraud annually. These scams involve fraudsters posing as government officials from agencies like the IRS, Social Security Administration, or law enforcement to trick victims into providing personal information, money, or access to sensitive accounts.
Here are some of the government impostor scams that are most reported to BBB Scam Tracker:
- Scammers claiming to be from the Social Security Administration
- IRS impostors targeting consumers and businesses
- Third-parties offering help with free SAM.gov registrations for a fee
- Scammers claiming to be from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Federal and/or state statute violation notices
- Law enforcement impostors
- Fake veteran grant programs
- Fake oustanding toll notifications
- Fake visa and immigration notices
- Government grant scams
Tips for avoiding government impostor scams
- Verify directly with the agency. If someone claims to be from a government agency, contact the agency using its official website or phone number. Never use the contact information provided by the caller or emailer.
- Know how government agencies operate. Legitimate agencies like the IRS and Social Security Administration will not demand immediate payment, threaten arrest, or ask for sensitive information over the phone, email, or text.
- Beware of unusual payment methods. Requests for payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or peer-to-peer payment apps are a clear sign of a scam.
- Protect your personal information. Avoid sharing sensitive details like Social Security numbers, bank account details, or passwords unless you initiated the contact with a verified agency.
- Check email extensions. Official government correspondence usually comes from “.gov” or “.mil” addresses. Messages from Gmail, Yahoo, or similar domains claiming to be government-related are scams.
- Report scams immediately. Report any suspicious contact to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov or through BBB Scam Tracker.
