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CRITICAL THREAT · Government Impersonation Scam

Scam Alert: Government Impersonation and Caller ID Spoofing

The General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General has issued a critical alert regarding scammers who are spoofing official government phone numbers and email domains to impersonate federal employees. These fraudsters use caller ID manipulation and look-alike domains to deceive individuals and businesses into providing sensitive personal information, financial details, or making fraudulent payments.

10/29/2026Telephone (Caller ID)EmailText MessagingSocial Media

Warning signs

  • Caller ID displays a government agency name or number, but the caller makes suspicious demands.
  • Unsolicited requests for sensitive personal information like Social Security numbers or banking details.
  • High-pressure tactics, such as threats of arrest, legal action, or suspension of government benefits.
  • Requests for payment via unconventional methods like gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payment apps.
  • Emails from domains that look similar to government addresses but use non-government extensions like .com, .net, or .org instead of .gov.
  • Unsolicited Requests for Quotations (RFQs) or Purchase Orders (POs) containing illegitimate contact information.

What you should do

  • Hang up immediately if you receive a suspicious call, even if the caller ID appears legitimate.
  • Do not provide any personal, financial, or account information to an unsolicited caller.
  • Verify the identity of any caller or email sender by contacting the agency directly using a phone number or email address found on their official .gov website.
  • Do not open unsolicited attachments or click links in suspicious emails.
  • Report suspected government impersonation scams to the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.
  • Report GSA-related impersonation attempts to the GSA OIG Hotline at https://www.gsaig.gov/hotline.
  • If you are a federal contractor, notify your contracting officer through a verified, independent contact method.
Scammers are actively using 'spoofing' technology to make unsolicited calls and emails appear as if they originate from legitimate government agencies, including the GSA. In these schemes, fraudsters may pressure victims to provide Social Security numbers, banking information, or demand immediate payment under the threat of arrest or benefit suspension. Additionally, scammers are targeting federal contractors and small businesses with fraudulent Requests for Quotations (RFQs) using email domains that mimic official government addresses (e.g., using '.com' or '.net' instead of '.gov'). Government agencies will never call to threaten you, demand immediate payment, or request sensitive information via unsolicited contact.

Sources

https://www.gsaig.gov/news/scam-alert-beware-scammers-are-spoofing-real-government-numbershttps://www.gsaig.gov/news/fraud-alert-fake-government-requests-quotes-0https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scamhttps://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/albany/news/fbi-warns-of-scammers-spoofing-fbi-albany-phone-number-in-government-impersonation-scam