Phone Scams Targeting Spanish Speakers in the U.S.: How to Spot Them

As of September 2026, U.S. federal agencies warn about several phone scams that reach Spanish-speaking families: the fake relative in trouble, collect calls from Mexico, "virtual kidnapping," and impostors who claim to be calling from USCIS, the IRS or another agency. The most useful rule comes from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) itself: government agencies never call to ask for money or personal information, and no agency will require you to pay with gift cards, money transfers, cryptocurrency or payment apps.

This page explains how each scam works, what the agencies say they will never do, which federal laws apply, how to try to get money back, and where to report, including in Spanish.

Why these calls target Spanish-speaking families

Federal agencies have documented scams that specifically seek out people who speak Spanish or who have family in another country. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says, in a 2017 Spanish-language guide, that the collect-call scam from Mexico is aimed predominantly at people in Hispanic communities or with Hispanic surnames. In 2017, the FBI reported that the virtual kidnapping calls it tracked between 2013 and 2015 targeted Spanish speakers, and that most victims lived in the Los Angeles and Houston areas. The same story says that in 2015 the calls started coming in English and the criminals were no longer targeting just Spanish speakers: they chose cities and cold-called hundreds of numbers until someone fell for the scheme.

In 2014, an FBI crisis negotiator explained that people with family and connections in Mexico have legitimate fears of gangs and cartels, and that scammers use that fear to their advantage. Other scammers play on fear of immigration trouble. The FTC warns that a scammer may threaten to arrest you, sue you, take away your driver's license, or deport you.

None of this depends on your immigration status. The same rules for spotting a scam and the same places to report it apply to everyone.

Five common phone scams and how to recognize them

The relative in trouble (the grandparent scam)

The FCC explains that the scammer calls pretending to be a grandchild or another close relative who is in a difficult situation and needs money. Sometimes the caller fakes the number that shows up on your screen, which is called spoofing. According to the FCC, the impostor often claims to have had an accident or to be under arrest, may ask you not to tell mom or dad, and may put someone on the phone who pretends to be a lawyer and demands immediate payment.

The FTC adds that the scammer may pose as an "authority figure," such as a fake lawyer, police officer or doctor, and that some use artificial intelligence to clone a loved one's voice from a short recording. The law on calls that use cloned voices is covered in are AI voice scam calls illegal?.

Both agencies recommend the same defense: hang up and call your relative at the number you already have saved. The FCC suggests agreeing on a family code word that only you know.

Collect calls from Mexico

The FCC describes this scam in its Spanish-language guide, last reviewed on June 1, 2017. An operator calls your home and says there is a collect call from a family member who has an emergency or an important message. The operator may know details such as your family's last name or the name of your spouse.

If you accept the call, you are connected to a stranger. According to the FCC, you are charged for the call even if you hang up, and in some cases you are billed for a collect call you never accepted. The FCC recommends asking that the caller say their own name, so you can recognize the voice, rather than letting the operator say it, and checking your phone bill every month so you can report errors to your phone company.

"Virtual kidnapping"

The FBI describes virtual kidnapping as extortion: the caller makes you believe a loved one has been kidnapped and is in danger so you will pay a quick ransom, but no one has been kidnapped. In 2017, the FBI said almost all of the schemes it was tracking originated inside Mexican prisons. In one method it describes, the person who answers hears someone screaming for help (likely a recording), and the scammer seizes on the name the victim blurts out.

The warning signs the FBI lists are that the caller goes to great lengths to keep you on the line, the call does not come from your relative's phone, the caller tries to keep you from contacting the supposed victim, and the ransom must be wired to Mexico, with demands that may drop quickly. The FBI says that in most cases, the best course of action is to hang up. If you do engage the caller, do not call out your relative's name. The FBI also recommends slowing things down, asking to speak with your relative directly, asking questions only that person would know, and trying to reach them another way. It also says not to agree to pay a ransom, by wire or in person, because delivering money in person can be dangerous.

In a December 5, 2025 public service announcement, the FBI warned about a text-message version: criminals claim to have kidnapped a loved one and send altered photos or videos, taken from social media or other public sites, as "proof of life." They sometimes use timed messages to limit how long you have to look at the images, and the images often contain errors, such as missing tattoos or scars. The FBI recommends setting up a code word only you and your loved ones know, taking screenshots or recordings of proof-of-life photos whenever possible, always trying to contact your loved one before considering paying any ransom, and reporting the incident to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.

Impostors from USCIS, the IRS and other agencies

The FTC warns that scammers may say they are calling from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or another agency, that there is a problem with your immigration application or petition, and that you have to pay to fix it. The FTC says that is a scam. USCIS warns about people who pose as its officials and says it contacts people only through official government channels.

Other impostors say they are calling from the IRS and that you owe taxes. The FTC says they may threaten to arrest or deport you if you do not pay on the spot. The IRS says it does not threaten to bring in local police, immigration officers or other law enforcement to have you arrested for not paying, and that it cannot revoke your driver's license or immigration status. There are also scammers who claim to be from the Social Security Administration, the local police or a court, with a story about an arrest warrant or a fine for missing jury duty. In every case, the FTC recommends looking up the agency's real number yourself and calling directly.

Immigration "help" offered by phone

Some calls offer to speed up a case, get a work permit or fix someone's papers in exchange for a payment. USCIS says only USCIS can decide whether to expedite processing, that immigration forms are free, and that a notary public is not authorized to provide immigration legal services. The FTC warns never to pay for immigration help with gift cards, money transfers, payment apps or cryptocurrency.

Who can legally give you immigration advice, how to check, and what state laws say about immigration consultants is covered in notario fraud in the United States.

What the agencies say they will never do

These are the agencies' own statements. If someone claiming to call on their behalf does the opposite, hang up.

On the IRS, the FTC explains that the IRS uses private debt collectors who may call, but only after you have received two letters by mail, one from the IRS and one from the collector, and that a private collector working for the IRS will never ask you to pay over the phone.

Warning signs

The FCC, the FTC and the FBI point to the same signs:

• Urgency and secrecy. You are told to act now and not to talk to anyone else. The FTC recommends talking to a friend, relative or neighbor before you do anything.
• A specific payment method. Bank or money transfer, cryptocurrency, payment app or gift card. In a July 22, 2026 alert, the FTC said that when the only way to pay is one of those, the reports it receives show it is a scam.
• Gift cards. The FTC says gift cards are for gifts only, not for payments. With the number and PIN on the back, the scammer gets the money even if you still hold the card. The scammer may even stay on the line while you go to the store.
• Threats. Arrest, deportation, loss of benefits, or harm to a family member.
• Caller ID that looks official. The FTC warns that your screen may show an agency's real name or number and still be fake.
• Someone who comes to collect money in person. The FCC says some scammers ask to meet you to pick up cash.

Is it a crime? The federal laws that apply

Yes. Several federal laws apply to these calls, regardless of the victim's immigration status.

• Impersonating a federal officer. Under 18 U.S.C. § 912, anyone who pretends to be an officer or employee acting under the authority of the United States and acts as such, or in that pretended character demands or obtains money or anything of value, can be fined, imprisoned for up to three years, or both.
• The FTC Impersonation Rule. This is a civil rule the FTC enforces, not a criminal law. 16 CFR § 461.2 makes it an unfair or deceptive practice to materially and falsely pose as a government entity or one of its officers. The rule defines "government" to include federal, state, local and tribal governments and their agencies. The rule does not currently cover someone who poses as a private individual, such as a grandchild; the status of that proposal is covered in deepfake fraud and impersonation laws.
• Fake caller ID. The Truth in Caller ID Act (47 U.S.C. § 227(e)(1)) makes it unlawful to knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongfully obtain anything of value. It also reaches people outside the United States if the person receiving the call is in the country.
• Wire fraud. A phone scam can be prosecuted as federal wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343). The penalties and how they apply to cloned voices are covered on the AI voice scam calls page.

In practice, these laws do not guarantee you will get your money back. The FBI explained that virtual kidnapping cases are hard to investigate because almost all of the people responsible are in Mexico and the money leaves the country. That is why acting fast with your bank or the company you used to pay matters so much.

What to do during the call

1. Hang up. You do not have to keep talking. If it is a robocall, the FTC recommends not pressing any number.
2. Call back yourself. Contact your relative at the number you already have saved, or the agency at the number on its official website. Do not use the number the caller gave you or the one on your caller ID.
3. Talk to someone you trust. Even if you were told to keep it secret, the FTC recommends calling another relative or friend.
4. Do not give out personal information. Not your Social Security number, your A-Number, or bank details.
5. Write down the details. Date, time, the number that appeared, and what was said. That information helps with a report. If you plan to record the call, consent rules vary by state; see United States recording laws.

If someone tells you a relative has been kidnapped and you think it could be real, the FBI recommends contacting the nearest FBI office or your local police right away.

If you already paid: how to try to get your money back

The FTC says that if you paid a scammer, your money might be gone already, but that it is always worth asking the company you used to pay whether there is a way to get it back. It also says the faster you act, the better. Its steps by payment method:

If you sent cash through another delivery service, like FedEx or UPS, the FTC says to contact that company as soon as possible. The FTC warns that cryptocurrency payments do not have the same legal protections as credit and debit cards. For gift cards, it says to report the scam to the issuing company no matter how much time has passed. If you gave a scammer your Social Security number, the FTC points you to IdentityTheft.gov (in Spanish, RobodeIdentidad.gov).

Where to report

The FTC says it uses reports to build cases against scammers, spot trends and educate the public. USCIS says reporting a possible scam committed by someone else will not negatively affect your application or petition in most cases where you were not involved. The FTC adds that when reporting an immigration scam, you decide how much personal information to share, or you can ask your immigration lawyer to report it in the name of their office.

• FTC (any phone scam): ReportFraud.ftc.gov, in Spanish at ReporteFraude.ftc.gov, or 877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).
• FCC (calls, spoofed caller ID, collect-call charges): the FCC Consumer Complaint Center, which is in English. To file a complaint in Spanish, the FCC lists a Spanish-language phone route: 888-225-5322.
• Immigration services scams: the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program, at EOIR.Fraud.Program@usdoj.gov; for complaints about an attorney or accredited representative, EOIR also offers Form EOIR-44. USCIS also publishes the program's phone number, 877-388-3840. EOIR says fraud related to applications and petitions before USCIS should be reported to USCIS through the USCIS Tip Form. For websites or social media accounts that claim to be affiliated with USCIS, email uscis.webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov.
• IRS impostors: the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), at tigta.gov.
• Social Security impostors: the Social Security Office of the Inspector General says to report them at ssa.gov/scam and, if in doubt, to call Social Security directly at 1-800-772-1213.
• Virtual kidnapping or extortion: your local FBI office, local police, or tips.fbi.gov, where the FBI says tipsters may remain anonymous. In its December 2025 alert, the FBI asks victims of virtual kidnapping scams to report them to IC3 at ic3.gov.
• Your state: your state consumer protection office, through the USA.gov directory, and your local police if you lost money, as USCIS recommends.

The National Do Not Call Registry (DoNotCall.gov or 1-888-382-1222) is free and cuts down sales calls from legitimate companies. The FTC notes that it does not block calls, so it will not stop scammers, and it recommends looking into call-blocking and call-labeling services.

If an employer threatens to call immigration on you, that is a separate problem, covered in employer immigration threats. All the guides in this section are in immigrant rights.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about phone scams in the United States and the federal laws that apply, based on FTC, FCC, USCIS, FBI, IRS and Social Security Office of the Inspector General guidance in effect as of September 2026. It is not legal advice. If you lost money or received threats, contact the authorities listed above; for an immigration matter, consult a lawyer or a representative accredited by the Department of Justice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can USCIS or ICE call me and ask for money?

USCIS says it will never ask you to pay fees to a person on the phone or by email, and that it does not accept Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, Venmo or gift cards. The FTC says government agencies never call to ask for money or personal information. If a relative is detained and has an immigration bond, ICE says bonds are paid through its online CeBONDS system or, case by case, at an ICE office; neither route involves paying someone who calls you. If someone who says they are from an immigration agency asks you for a payment over the phone, hang up and contact the agency at its official number.

Someone called saying my son was arrested and needed money for a lawyer. What should I do?

Hang up and call your son at the number you already have saved. If he does not answer, call another relative or friend, even if you were told to keep it secret. The FCC and the FTC describe this story (an arrest or accident, and a fake lawyer demanding immediate payment) as the relative-in-trouble scam, which sometimes uses a voice cloned with artificial intelligence.

What is virtual kidnapping?

It is extortion in which the caller makes you believe a loved one has been kidnapped so you will pay a quick ransom, although no one has been kidnapped. In 2017, the FBI said almost all of the schemes it was tracking originated in Mexican prisons, that the calls it tracked between 2013 and 2015 targeted Spanish speakers, and that in 2015 the calls started coming in English. The FBI says that in most cases the best course of action is to hang up, and to always try to contact your loved one before considering any payment. If you think it could be real, contact the FBI or local police immediately; you can also report it at ic3.gov.

Do I have to pay for a collect call I never accepted?

The FCC describes cases where people were billed for a collect call from Mexico that they never accepted or hung up on. It recommends checking your phone bill every month and reporting errors to your phone company. You can also file a complaint with the FCC and with the FTC.

Can I report a scam if I am undocumented?

Yes. When you report an immigration scam to the FTC, you decide how much personal information to share, or you can ask your lawyer to make the report. USCIS says reporting a scam committed by someone else will not affect your application or petition in most cases where you were not involved.

I paid with gift cards. Can I get the money back?

Possibly. The FTC recommends calling the company that issued the card right away, telling it a scammer asked for the card number and PIN, and asking for your money back. Keep the card and the receipt. The FTC says to report the scam to the company no matter how much time has passed, and to report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov as well.

Is it a crime to pretend to be a government agent over the phone?

It can be. Under 18 U.S.C. § 912, anyone who pretends to be a federal officer or employee and, in that pretended character, demands or obtains money can be fined, imprisoned for up to three years, or both. The FTC Impersonation Rule (16 CFR § 461.2), a civil rule the FTC enforces, also bars posing as a government entity.

Will signing up for the Do Not Call Registry stop scammers?

No. The FTC says the National Do Not Call Registry cuts down sales calls from companies that follow the law, but it does not block calls and will not stop scammers. To reduce those calls, the FTC recommends looking into call-blocking and call-labeling services, and hanging up without giving out information.