ScamWatch USA
Log in
Back to Scam Alerts
CRITICAL THREAT · Government Impersonation Fraud

FBI Alert: Surge in Government Impersonation Scams

The FBI has issued a critical warning regarding a surge in government and law enforcement impersonation scams, which have resulted in over $1.6 billion in reported losses between January 2025 and July 2026.

10/5/2026TelephoneText MessagingEmailVideo Conferencing PlatformsWebsites

Warning signs

  • Unsolicited contact from individuals claiming to be FBI or government officials
  • Demands for payment via cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, wire transfers, or cash couriers
  • Threats of immediate arrest, legal trouble, or loss of assets
  • Requests to move funds to 'secure' accounts or provide remote access to devices
  • Use of AI-generated voice or video calls to appear as an official
  • Contact from someone claiming to be from the IC3 offering to recover previously lost money

What you should do

  • Verify the identity of any caller by contacting the official agency directly using a verified phone number found on their official website
  • Never provide personal, financial, or account information to an unsolicited caller
  • Do not trust caller ID, as it can be easily spoofed by scammers
  • Report suspected fraud to the official FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov
  • If you have already sent money, contact your financial institution immediately to report the fraud
  • Pause and take time to research the request before acting on any urgent demands
Criminals are increasingly using sophisticated tactics, including AI-generated deepfakes and spoofed websites, to impersonate government officials and FBI agents. These scammers often target individuals who have previously been victims of fraud by posing as employees of the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), promising to help recover lost funds. Victims are frequently pressured through threats of arrest, legal action, or financial harm to provide sensitive information or make payments via cryptocurrency, wire transfers, prepaid cards, or cash couriers. Authorities emphasize that legitimate government agencies will never demand payment through these methods or contact citizens via text message to threaten them.

Sources

https://vinnews.com/2026/09/24/fbi-warns-public-of-impersonation-scams-after-1-6-billion-in-reported-losses/https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-scammers-are-using-ai-to-impersonate-police-to-defraud-usershttps://cybernews.com/news/fbi-impersonation-scamhttps://www.witn.com/2026/08/19/fbi-warns-scammers-are-impersonating-its-cybercrime-complaint-centerhttps://vinnews.com/2026/09/24/fbi-wang-public-of-impersonation-scams-after-1-6-billion-in-reported-losses