Government Impersonation Scams: IRS, SSA and Police Callers (2026)

How common it is

The FTC said in June 2026 that imposter scams were the most reported fraud category in 2025, with about $3.5 billion in reported losses and nearly one in three fraud reports. Government impersonators accounted for about $920 million of that, up from $789 million in 2024. The FTC also noted that these figures reflect only the people who reported.

How the scam works

The caller opens with an official-sounding name and a problem: unpaid taxes, a suspended Social Security number, a package of drugs intercepted at customs, or a warrant. Caller ID may show a real agency number, because it can be spoofed.

You are then pushed to act quickly and quietly. The fix is always a payment. It may be gift cards, a wire, or cryptocurrency, often fed into a crypto ATM. In bigger versions, the FTC says the caller tells you to withdraw cash or buy gold and hand it to someone, or deposit it in a federal “safety locker.” None of that is real.

The same script works across borders. In India, the version is called “digital arrest.” The victim is told on a video call that they are under arrest and must stay on camera until they pay. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has publicly said that the CBI, police, customs, ED, and judges do not arrest people through video calls, as reported by The Tribune.

Eight warning signs

These show up in nearly every version, whether the caller claims to be a tax officer, a judge, or an immigration agent.

1. A threat of arrest, a warrant, or deportation. The core of the scam is fear. A caller says a warrant is out in your name, your Social Security number is “suspended,” or immigration will detain you. Government agencies do not make these threats by phone, text, or video call.
2. A demand for payment, with a deadline. Real agencies send letters and give you time and appeal rights. A caller who says you must pay in the next hour, or that you must not hang up, is following a script.
3. Payment by gift card, wire, crypto, or a payment app. The FTC lists wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, and payment apps as the methods scammers demand. No genuine agency collects a fine that way, including through a crypto ATM, where cash is turned into coins sent to the caller’s wallet.
4. An order to move your money to “protect” it. The caller says your accounts are compromised and tells you to withdraw cash, buy gold, or deposit funds in a “federal safety locker.” The FTC says no such locker exists. Anyone who tells you to move money to protect it is the threat.
5. A courier who comes to your door for cash or gold. Some scammers send a driver or courier to collect an envelope, box, or bag. A real agency never sends someone to pick up your cash.
6. A caller who says “do not tell anyone” or stay on the line. Secrecy is how the scam survives. In “digital arrest” versions, you are told to stay on a video call for hours or days, and not to speak to family, your bank, or a lawyer. Isolation is the tactic.
7. Caller ID, badge numbers, and official-looking documents. The FTC warns that caller ID can be faked. A forged badge number, a photographed ID, or a fake court notice sent by messaging app proves nothing. Look up the agency yourself.
8. A request for your Social Security number, bank login, or a one-time code. Agencies do not ask for these in an unexpected call or message. The FTC says to contact the agency using a number you know is correct, not one the caller gave you.

What real agencies do and do not do

In the United States, you can report a fake IRS call to TIGTA at 800-366-4484. Reports about any government imposter go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Fake officials are also using AI voices and video. The FBI warned in May 2025 about texts and AI-generated voice messages impersonating senior U.S. officials. See our guide to AI voice clone scams.

If you already paid or shared details

Move fast and in this order. Call your bank or card company on the number on your card, and say you were scammed. If you sent gift cards, call the issuer with the card numbers and receipts. If you used a crypto ATM or exchange, contact the operator at once, though crypto is hard to reverse.

If you gave your Social Security number or bank login, the FTC points to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. Change passwords and consider freezing your credit. If a courier collected cash, report it to local police with the date, time, and description. Then file at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.

Be ready for a second call, from someone claiming to be a lawyer, the FBI, or a recovery agent who will get your money back for a fee. That is usually the same scam again. Our guide to recovery scams explains it. If you need to practice saying no to a deadline, read how to handle urgent payment requests. Scam texts that claim to be a court, a toll agency, or a tax office are covered in how to spot a phishing message.

More help from official sources

• FTC: How to avoid a government impersonation scam (United States)
• IRS: Beware of scammers posing as the IRS
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
• National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (India)

Scambaba is an independent educational project. Reporting and recovery options depend on where you live. How these guides are researched is on the editorial policy.

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