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TLDR
The FBI is alerting the public to a surge in scams where criminals impersonate US or foreign law enforcement and government officials to extort money and steal personal information. Between January 2025 and July 2026, IC3 received nearly...
How it works
The FBI is alerting the public to a surge in scams where criminals impersonate US or foreign law enforcement and government officials to extort money and steal personal information. Between January 2025 and July 2026, IC3 received nearly...
Red flags
- Unsolicited contact from someone claiming to be police, court, or agency staff, using an aggressive or urgent tone. Demand for payment via prepaid cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or cash deposited into crypto kiosks. Pressure to stay on the line, secrecy from family or your bank, and refusal to speak with anyone but you
What to do
- 1Hang up and independently verify any claim by calling the agency on its official published number. Never share personal data, banking details, or send money in response to an unsolicited call or message. Report the incident to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov, including the callback number and payment method requested
Source
FAQ
Is FBI Warning Scammers Impersonating Law Enforcement and Government Officials in Widespread Fraud Schemes a real scam pattern?
Yes. Treat the message, call, or payment request as suspicious until you verify it through an official channel.
What are the first warning signs?
Unsolicited contact from someone claiming to be police, court, or agency staff, using an aggressive or urgent tone. Demand for payment via prepaid cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or cash deposited into crypto kiosks. Pressure to stay on the line, secrecy from family or your bank, and refusal to speak with anyone but you
What should I do first?
Hang up and independently verify any claim by calling the agency on its official published number. Never share personal data, banking details, or send money in response to an unsolicited call or message. Report the incident to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov, including the callback number and payment method requested
Can LegalAudit check my case?
Yes. Start a free chat and paste the message, link, sender, or payment details for triage.