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Fraudsters are increasingly using government impersonation fraud to deceive and exploit individuals. This form of scam involves criminals posing as officials from trusted government agencies to pressure victims into providing personal information or money. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), over 330,000 reports of business impersonation scams and nearly 160,000 reports of government impersonation scams. These scams rely on fear, urgency, and the authority of government entities to manipulate targets, making them both effective and dangerous.
Government impersonation fraud typically involves unsolicited contact from someone claiming to be a representative of a government body such as the IRS, Social Security Administration, or a local court. The goal is usually to intimidate the target into quick compliance, whether that means paying a fake fine, sharing sensitive data, or granting access to private systems. Alarmingly, the FTC ranks government impersonation among the top five reported fraud categories in the United States, highlighting its widespread impact.
There are several common forms of this fraud. Tax scams are especially prevalent, with The Kaplen Group reporting that Monthly tax scam reports rose 62% year-over-year, from 227 in 2024 to 368 in 2025. Victims are told they owe back taxes and face arrest unless they pay immediately, often through unconventional means such as gift cards or wire transfers, resulting in an average loss of $32,080 per victim. Social Security scams are also rampant. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), people filed over 76,000 reports about Social Security imposters in the past 12 months, with reported losses of $19 million. These often involve robocalls claiming a Social Security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity. Immigration scams disproportionately affect non-citizens. According to UC Santa Cruz, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) showed that between 400 and 700 immigration scams were reported annually from 2011 to 2014. Pedroza says these 2,314 reports with scammers threatening deportation or visa cancellation unless payments are made.
Scammers use sophisticated tactics to appear credible. According to The Financial Brand, more than 70% of people said they had received at least one call in the past three months in which the caller pretended to be someone else. This level of detail makes the scams feel authentic, leading many victims to act quickly out of fear.
Protecting yourself begins with understanding how these scams work. The Finra reports that individuals who are aware of red flags are 80% less likely to lose money. Verifying the identity of any caller or sender before responding, refusing to make immediate payments under pressure, and using call-blocking or spam-filtering tools are all critical steps. This is especially important as Robocalls are on the rise, with Americans receiving just over 4.4 billion in April according to Cyberguy.