Government Impersonation Scams: IRS, Social Security, Jury Duty, Police

A government impersonation scam is a call, text, email, letter or social media message from someone pretending to be the IRS, Social Security, a court, the police, the FBI, the FTC, Medicare or immigration officials. The story changes, but the ask does not: you owe money or you are in trouble, and you must pay right now, in a specific way, and tell no one. The Federal Trade Commission's rule of thumb is short: "Government agencies will never call, email, text, or message you on social media to ask for money or personal information."

If you already paid, call the bank, card issuer, payment app, wire company or crypto exchange you paid through, using a number you look up yourself, and ask it to stop or reverse the payment. Then report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you gave out your Social Security number or other personal information, go to IdentityTheft.gov.

Information last verified on October 2, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This guide covers United States federal law and federal agency guidance on government impersonation scams: the FTC's Rule on Impersonation of Government and Businesses (16 C.F.R. part 461), the federal crime of impersonating a federal officer (18 U.S.C. § 912) and federal wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343). It quotes contact practices published by the IRS, the Social Security Administration, the federal courts, the U.S. Marshals Service, Medicare and USCIS, plus examples from state and county courts in New Jersey, Virginia and Spokane County, Washington. It does not cover state laws against impersonating state or local police, which vary by state. Refund rights by payment method are covered in our separate guide.

How to tell a real government contact from a scam

A real agency contact and a scam can look identical on your phone screen. What gives a scam away is what the caller wants and how fast they want it. The Social Security Administration lists four signs that apply to every version:

"Scammers pretend to be from an agency or organization you know to gain your trust. Scammers say there is a problem or a prize. Scammers pressure you to act immediately. Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way."

The payment method is the loudest tell

The FTC's advice is direct: "Don't wire money or use gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a payment app to pay someone who says they're with the government." The SSA's list of scammer tactics adds precious metals, prepaid debit cards and mailing cash, and warns of scammers who "Meet you in-person to pick up cash, gold bars, or other assets" or "Tell you to move your money to a protected bank account to keep it safe."

A caller who tells you to move your savings to a "protected" account, buy gift cards, or hand cash to a courier to settle a government matter is following the exact script these agencies describe.

Caller ID, names and badges prove nothing

The FTC warns that "caller ID can be faked," and that your screen may show a government agency's real phone number or name. The SSA says scammers "Spoof official government phone numbers, or even numbers for local police departments," "Use the real names of government employees," and "Email attachments or text pictures of badges, credentials, or official-looking documents."

On that last point the SSA is unambiguous: "Federal law enforcement will never send photographs of credentials or badges to demand any kind of payment, and neither will federal government employees."

Pressure, threats and secrecy

Other tactics on the SSA's list: threatening arrest or legal action unless you pay immediately, threatening to suspend your Social Security number, threatening to seize your bank account, transferring your call to a supposed law enforcement agent, and demanding secrecy. Each of these is a reason to end the conversation.

Pro tip: You can always end the call. Look up the agency's number on its own .gov website (not in the text or email you received) and ask whether there is really a problem. The FTC's advice for a caller who claims to be from a sheriff or court is the same: "look up the real number for the government agency or office the caller mentioned."

Who they pretend to be, and how the real agency contacts you

IRS scams

The script. A caller, text or email says you owe back taxes and will be arrested, deported or lose something unless you pay immediately. The IRS's own consumer alert describes impostors this way: "Impersonators want you to pay 'now or else.' They threaten arrest or deportation. They don't let you question or appeal the amount of tax you owe."

How the real IRS contacts you. The IRS's current page for reporting fake IRS contacts says: "The IRS or private collection agencies may call you to address account matters. We never call to demand payment now, threaten arrest or inform you of a refund." The FTC adds: "The IRS will never email, text, or message you on social media with threats or demands that you pay," and "If you owe taxes, the IRS will contact you by mail." The FTC also says "A private debt collector working on behalf of the IRS will never ask you to pay over the phone."

The FTC's phrasing on calls is narrower than the IRS's: it says "the IRS will not call you about your taxes unless you set up an appointment." The IRS's own page says it or a private collection agency may call about account matters. Both agree on what a real call will not do: demand payment on the spot or threaten arrest.

What to do. The IRS says: "If you get a suspicious IRS-related call, record the number and hang up," then report it to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 800-366-4484. If you are unsure whether you owe, the FTC says to call the IRS at 800-829-1040. Fake IRS texts and emails go to phishing@irs.gov; the IRS reporting page gives the subject line and details to include. If someone filed a tax return in your name, see our guide to tax identity theft.

Social Security scams

The script. The FTC describes the classic version: your "Social Security number will be suspended, unless you pay immediately." The SSA's own list of current tactics adds threats to seize your bank account, claims that you must pay or share personal information "to activate a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) or other benefit increase," transfers to a fake "law enforcement agent," and instructions to move your money to a "protected" account.

How the real SSA contacts you. The FTC says: "The real Social Security Administration won't threaten you or suspend your Social Security number. The real Social Security Administration won't call, email, text, or message you on social media and ask you to pay." The SSA says: "Social Security will never ask for sensitive or personal information through social media, email, or text message."

The SSA also flags fake social media accounts that copy its images, colors and jargon. Signs it lists include a low follower count, spelling and punctuation errors, links to websites that do not end in ".gov," and charging for government forms that are typically free.

Where to report. The SSA Office of the Inspector General takes reports at oig.ssa.gov/report if you received a suspicious call, letter, text or email about your Social Security number, account or payments. If you gave a caller your number, see our guide to what to do when a scammer has your information.

Jury duty scams and fake court hearings

The script. A caller, text or email says you missed jury duty and a warrant has been issued, and that you can avoid arrest by paying a fine now. The federal judiciary warns: "The scammers threaten recipients with fines and jail time if they do not comply. These communications are fraudulent and are not connected with the U.S. courts."

How real courts contact jurors. For federal courts: "Most contact between a federal court and a prospective juror will be through the U.S. mail, and any phone or email contact by real court officials will not include requests for any sensitive information." In a 2017 article on the same scam, the federal judiciary explained what happens when a real summons is ignored: in most cases the court clerk's office contacts the prospective juror, who "may, in certain circumstances, be ordered to appear before a judge. A fine may be imposed but not until the court appearance."

State courts set their own procedures, and some do use texts and email. New Jersey's judiciary says it uses "phone calls, text messages, and email communications," but that those messages "will never ask for payment or personal identifiers other than date of birth and residential address," and that court officials "will never ask for payment to avoid arrest for failing to report for jury duty." Virginia's courts say the court will never "Call, text, or email you to demand immediate payment over the phone or by electronic means" or "Threaten you with arrest, legal action or license suspension unless you pay over the phone."

So a text from a court is not automatically fake. A text or call that asks for payment, your Social Security number or a bank account to avoid arrest is.

Where to report. The federal judiciary tells people to report jury scams to the Clerk of Court and to the FTC. It also notes that "it is a crime for anyone to falsely represent themself as a federal court official."

Arrest warrant calls: police, sheriff and U.S. Marshals impersonation

The script. A caller says they are a deputy, a police officer or a U.S. Marshal, that there is a warrant for your arrest (for missed jury duty, a missed court date or an unpaid fine), and that you can clear it by paying now. Newer versions arrive by email. In January 2026, the U.S. Marshals Service in the Western District of Washington warned that scammers had "emailed fraudulent arrest warrants that appear to originate from a local district containing case numbers and an active judge's alleged signature," with a section telling recipients "that the fines can be paid via Bitcoin."

In August 2026, the Marshals Service in the Western District of Texas warned that "scammers have increasingly begun contacting victims by email and directing them to participate in fake virtual court proceedings, including fraudulent Zoom hearings."

How real law enforcement works. The Western District of Texas release says: "The U.S. Marshals Service will never contact members of the public by telephone to demand payment, threaten arrest, or request personal or financial information. The agency does not accept payments through gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or digital payment applications." The Washington release says: "Neither the U.S. Marshals Service nor the U.S. District Court will ever call or email to request payment of fines over the phone or via Bitcoin."

Local agencies say the same about their own practices. The Spokane County, Washington, Sheriff's Office, for example, says: "The Sheriff's Office does not solicit funds over the phone under any circumstances!" and "The Spokane County Sheriff's Office or the Courts will never call you for money on a warrant or tell you in advance they are coming to arrest you." It also describes callers posing as deputies who claim to work with the Social Security office or the IRS.

Where to report. The Marshals Service asks people to report these calls to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you are worried a warrant might be real, call the court clerk or the sheriff's office at a number you look up yourself.

FBI, FTC and senior-official impostors

Scammers also pose as federal investigators or consumer protection officials, sometimes as the second act of another scam (a "tech support" call that hands you off to a fake federal agent, for example; see our guide to tech support and fake invoice scams).

The FTC says plainly: "The FTC will never ask you for money, threaten to arrest you, or promise you a prize." In a May 2025 public service announcement, the FBI warned that "Since April 2025, malicious actors have impersonated senior US officials to target individuals," and advised: "If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior US official, do not assume it is authentic." The FBI asks people to report these to their local FBI field office or ic3.gov. Some of these campaigns use cloned voices; see our guide to AI voice scam calls.

Medicare scams

The script. You need a new Medicare card, there is a fee, or you must confirm your Medicare number or bank details.

How Medicare contacts you. The FTC says: "Medicare sends its cards to you automatically for free. You never have to do or pay anything," and "Medicare won't call, email, text, or message you on social media to sell you anything or tell you to pay for your Medicare card." Medicare's own site says: "Remember that Medicare will never call you to sell you anything or visit you at your home. Medicare, or someone representing Medicare, will only call and ask for personal information in limited situations (like an agent or representative returning your call after you've joined a plan, reported fraud, or left a message for Medicare)."

Where to report. Medicare says to call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or report Medicare fraud online. For scams aimed at older adults generally, see our guide to elder fraud.

USCIS and immigration scams

The script. The FTC describes callers who say "they're calling from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS)," that "there's a problem with an immigration application or petition, and you have to pay them to solve that issue. This is a scam."

How USCIS contacts you. USCIS says: "We will never ask you to transfer money to an individual. We do not accept Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, Venmo, or gift cards as payment for immigration fees. In addition, we will never ask you to pay fees to a person on the phone or by email." It also says it "will only contact you through official government channels and will not contact you through your personal social media accounts," and advises: "Make sure the website or email address ends with .gov."

Where to report. USCIS asks people to forward suspicious emails to USCIS.Webmaster@uscis.dhs.gov, and scam emails can also be reported to the FTC. Related guides: notario fraud and phone scams targeting Spanish speakers.

Toll, DMV and other "government" texts

Not every government impostor claims to be a federal agency. In a May 2026 consumer alert, the FTC reported that "Reports of government imposter scams were up 40%, thanks in part to messages about overdue tolls." Our guide to phishing, smishing and vishing covers how to spot and report them.

What to do if you paid a government impostor or gave them information

1. Stop contact. Hang up, do not call back the number they gave you, and do not reply to texts or emails.
2. Call the company you paid through. Your bank, card issuer, payment app, wire company, gift card company or crypto exchange is usually the only party that can stop or reverse a payment. Use a number you look up yourself. Whether the law gives you a right to a refund depends on how you paid; our guide to getting money back after a scam explains the rules by payment method. If the bank says no, see what to do when a bank refuses a scam refund.
3. Report it. The FTC says to report government impostors at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general. The FTC's Spanish-language reporting site is ReporteFraude.ftc.gov. Also use the agency-specific channels above (TIGTA for the IRS, SSA's Inspector General, the court clerk, ic3.gov for warrant and FBI impostors). Our guide on where to report a scam lists what each agency does with a report.
4. Protect your identity. The FTC says: "if you gave your personal information to a scammer, go to IdentityTheft.gov." Our guide to credit freezes and fraud alerts explains the free options.
5. Be wary of recovery offers. If someone contacts you offering to get your money back for a fee, read our scams and fraud hub on refund and recovery scams before you respond.

Watch out: Money sent by wire, gift card, cryptocurrency or cash is hard to recover. Speed matters more than anything else, so call the payment company before you do anything else, even before you file a report.

Is it illegal to impersonate a government agency?

Yes. Several federal laws reach it, and they work differently.

The FTC Impersonation Rule (16 C.F.R. § 461.2)

The FTC's Trade Regulation Rule on Impersonation of Government and Businesses was published as a final rule at 89 Fed. Reg. 15017 on March 1, 2024, and took effect April 1, 2024. Section 461.2 covers government impersonation:

"It is a violation of this part, and an unfair or deceptive act or practice to: (a) materially and falsely pose as, directly or by implication, a government entity or officer thereof, in or affecting commerce as commerce is defined in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 44); or (b) materially misrepresent, directly or by implication, affiliation with, including endorsement or sponsorship by, a government entity or officer thereof, in or affecting commerce as commerce is defined in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 44)." (16 C.F.R. § 461.2)

The rule's definitions (16 C.F.R. § 461.1) make its reach broad. "Government includes federal, state, local, and tribal governments as well as agencies and departments thereof." "Officer includes executives, officials, employees, and agents." And "Materially means likely to affect a person's choice of, or conduct regarding, goods or services." So the rule's definition of government reaches a fake sheriff's deputy or county court clerk as well as a fake IRS agent. A companion section, 16 C.F.R. § 461.3, applies the same prohibitions to impersonating businesses.

What the rule does for victims. The rule is an enforcement tool for the FTC. In a June 2026 press release, the FTC said the rule enables it "to file federal court cases seeking to get money back to injured consumers and civil penalties against rule violators," and that it has "brought a dozen enforcement actions that have resulted in halting imposter schemes and obtained over $70 million in redress for consumers." Among the 2025 actions it named was one against American Tax Service, which it described as an IRS imposter scheme. The rule does not, on its own, return money to any one person; your report to ReportFraud.ftc.gov goes into a database the FTC and other law enforcement agencies use to investigate scams and build cases.

Impersonating a federal officer (18 U.S.C. § 912)

Pretending to be a federal official is a federal crime:

"Whoever falsely assumes or pretends to be an officer or employee acting under the authority of the United States or any department, agency or officer thereof, and acts as such, or in such pretended character demands or obtains any money, paper, document, or thing of value, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both." (18 U.S.C. § 912)

This statute covers posing as a federal officer or employee, such as an IRS agent, an SSA employee, a U.S. Marshal or an FBI agent. Posing as a state or local officer, such as a sheriff's deputy or county court clerk, is a matter of state law, which this guide does not cover.

Wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343)

Most impersonation scams run by phone, text or email are also wire fraud. The statute reaches anyone who, "having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises," transmits communications "by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce" to carry it out. The maximum sentence is 20 years in prison, or up to 30 years when it affects a financial institution or involves disaster or emergency benefits.

Criminal charges depend on prosecutors identifying and charging the people behind a scam. A criminal case is not a refund process, which is why the payment company and the reports above come first.

What the FTC is still considering

Two parts of the FTC's original proposal remain unfinished or dropped. In a Federal Register notice published October 1, 2026 (91 Fed. Reg. 62347), the FTC said that it "did not adopt the proposed means and instrumentalities prohibition," and that on a proposal to cover impersonation of individuals, it "held an informal hearing in January 2025 and is still evaluating its options." Neither proposal is law.

The same October 1, 2026 notice is an advance notice of proposed rulemaking asking for public comment on "search engine, social media, and other digital marketplace platforms that further government and business impersonation scams." Comments are due November 30, 2026. This is an early stage of rulemaking; it does not create any new rule or obligation.

How common are government impersonation scams?

Two federal agencies publish separate numbers, collected in different ways. Each is useful on its own; they should never be added together.

• FTC (Consumer Sentinel reports, 2025). People reported losing about $920 million to government impersonators in 2025, up from $789 million in 2024. Across all imposter scams (government and business), reported losses reached $3.5 billion, according to the FTC's June 15, 2026 release.
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3 2025 Annual Report). IC3 received 32,424 government impersonation complaints in 2025, with reported losses of $797,943,193, compared with $405,624,084 in 2024. IC3 defines the category as one where "A government official is impersonated to collect or extort money."

Both figures count only losses that people chose to report.

Related guides

• Scams and fraud: your rights and where to get help
• How to get money back after a scam
• Where to report a scam
• Phishing, smishing and vishing
• Elder fraud
• A scammer has my information: what now
• Deepfake fraud and impersonation laws
• Medicare and Health Insurance Scams
• How to Tell if Something Is a Scam

Last updated: October 2, 2026.

This article provides general legal information about United States federal law and agency guidance as verified on October 2, 2026. It is not legal advice. For your specific situation, contact the payment company you used, the agency named in the scam, or a lawyer licensed in your state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the IRS call me?

It can. The IRS says it or a private collection agency may call about account matters, but it never calls to demand payment now, threaten arrest or tell you about a refund. If you owe taxes, the FTC says the IRS will contact you by mail. Report suspicious IRS calls to TIGTA at 800-366-4484.

Can Social Security suspend my Social Security number?

No. The FTC says the real Social Security Administration will not threaten you or suspend your Social Security number. A call saying your number will be suspended unless you pay is a scam; report it at oig.ssa.gov/report.

Can I be arrested for missing jury duty over the phone?

A real court will not take payment over the phone to cancel an arrest. Federal courts mostly contact jurors by mail, and a 2017 federal judiciary article says a fine for ignoring a real summons is not imposed until a court appearance. Call the clerk of court at a number you look up yourself.

Do police or U.S. Marshals call about arrest warrants?

The U.S. Marshals Service says it will never phone the public to demand payment, threaten arrest or ask for personal or financial information, and does not accept gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency or payment apps. Report these calls to ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The caller ID showed a real government number. Is it real?

Not necessarily. The FTC warns that caller ID can be faked, and the SSA says scammers spoof official government numbers and even local police numbers. Hang up and call the agency at a number you look up on its .gov website.

Is it illegal to pretend to be from the government?

Yes. The FTC Impersonation Rule (16 C.F.R. § 461.2, in effect since April 1, 2024) bans materially and falsely posing as a government entity or officer, and 18 U.S.C. § 912 makes posing as a federal officer to obtain money a crime punishable by up to three years in prison.

I paid a government impostor with gift cards. What do I do?

Contact the gift card company right away using a number you look up yourself, then report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Gift card payments are hard to recover, so speed matters; our money-back guide explains the rules by payment method.

How much do people lose to government impersonation scams?

People reported losing about $920 million to government impersonators in 2025 according to the FTC, up from $789 million in 2024. The FBI's IC3 separately recorded $797.9 million in 2025 losses from 32,424 complaints. They are different datasets and are not added together.