Criminals posing as police officers, federal agents, government officials, and even foreign authorities are increasingly using fear, technological deception, and threats of arrest to separate Americans from their money. Nearly 61,000 complaints involving law-enforcement or government impersonation were reported from January 2025 through July 2026, with reported losses exceeding $1.6 billion. Scammers frequently spoof legitimate telephone numbers, use authentic officials’ names and credentials, threaten victims over supposed crimes, missed jury duty, court appearances, or licensing problems, and demand immediate payment through cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, wire transfers, cash, or couriers. Some operations have become sophisticated enough to employ artificial intelligence, fake police uniforms, and mock government offices. The fundamental warning remains straightforward: legitimate law-enforcement and government authorities do not telephone or text citizens demanding money or sensitive personal information.
Key Takeaways
- Nearly 61,000 government and law-enforcement impersonation complaints were reported between January 2025 and July 2026, resulting in more than $1.6 billion in reported losses.
- Criminals are exploiting the public’s natural respect for government authority by spoofing official numbers, using real officials’ names, threatening arrest or prosecution, and increasingly employing AI-generated content and other sophisticated techniques to make fraudulent encounters appear authentic.
- Citizens should never make an immediate payment or disclose sensitive information because of an unsolicited government call or message. End the communication and independently contact the purported agency through its publicly listed telephone number or official government website.
In-Depth
The FBI is warning Americans that criminals are increasingly borrowing the authority of government itself to steal money and personal information. From January 2025 through July 2026, nearly 61,000 complaints involving law-enforcement or government impersonation were reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, producing losses exceeding $1.6 billion.
The schemes work because they manufacture fear and urgency. A caller may claim the target is tied to a crime, skipped jury duty, missed a court appearance, or faces an expiring professional license. Victims are then threatened with arrest, prosecution, license revocation, or other consequences unless they immediately pay. Scammers may spoof legitimate government phone numbers, use real officials’ names, display fake credentials, and even employ artificial intelligence to imitate officials during video calls.
The losses show how effective the intimidation can be. Jury-duty and missed-court-date schemes generated 6,833 complaints and nearly $36 million in reported losses during the FBI’s reporting period. Scams targeting foreign nationals and ethnic communities, sometimes through impersonation of foreign police or diplomatic officials, generated 1,809 complaints and more than $140 million in losses.
The simplest defense is also the most important: refuse to surrender control of the interaction. Government and law-enforcement officials do not telephone or text people demanding payment through cryptocurrency, prepaid cards, couriers, or similar methods. Anyone receiving such a demand should end the communication and independently contact the purported agency using publicly listed information. Fear is the scammers’ leverage; verification takes it away. Never provide personal information before independently verifying the caller’s identity.
Sources
- https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260917
- https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/06/scammers-are-impersonating-local-law-enforcement
- https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/06/ignore-calls-texts-and-emails-threatening-arrest-you-missing-jury-duty
- https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/boston/news/fbi-boston-warns-of-new-agent-impersonation-scam-spoofing-fbis-phone-number-before-urging-victims-to-switch-to-encrypted-application
- https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260720