Scammers impersonating government officials craft convincing stories to steal your money or personal information. They have now adopted a new, multi-layered tactic. Here’s how to recognize it:
First, scammers pose as representatives of a company, contacting you about a routine issue, such as suspicious charges on your Amazon account, a virus on your computer, or an account breach.
The situation then intensifies: They falsely claim your name is involved in serious crimes and that the court is about to seize your bank account or retirement savings.
Next, they switch roles from harbingers of bad news to saviors, supposedly connecting you with a government official to “resolve” the problem.
However, the person they transfer you to is not a government employee. Instead, they aim to trick you into withdrawing cash from your accounts and handing it over to them.
Here’s how scammers deceive you:
- They fake caller ID to make it look like a government agency is calling.
- They provide an employee ID or badge number or use the name of a real government employee.
- They send official-looking letters with seals and create fake government agency names.
Remember, genuine government employees will never:
- Instruct you to withdraw cash, buy gold, or give it to someone.
- Ask you to pay with gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps, or cryptocurrency.
- Tell you to keep the conversation a secret or lie to anyone.
- Advise you to transfer money from your accounts for protection or any other reason. Only scammers do this.
If you receive a call like this, immediately hang up. Wait until you receive an official notification. If the matter is legitimate, you will receive a letter in the mail.
For more tips on avoiding imposter scams, visit How To Avoid Imposter Scams. To report an imposter scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
