Consumer Protection Data Spotlight | July 2019 1

Government imposter scams top the list of reported frauds

Pretending to be someone people trust is what 

scammers do. They may claim to be a well-known 

company or a beloved family member, but data from 

the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network suggest that 

pretending to be the government may be scammers’ 

favorite ruse. Since 2014, the FTC has gotten nearly

1.3 million reports about government imposters. 

That’s far more than any other type of fraud reported

in the same timeframe. This spring, monthly reports of 

government imposter scams reached the highest levels 

we have on record.

1

The vast majority of people who report this type of

scam say it started with a phone call,2and these callers 

have their mind games down pat. Government 

impersonators can create a sense of urgent fear, telling 

you to send money right away or provide your social 

security number to avoid arrest or some other trouble. 

Or they can play the good guy, promising to help you

get some free benefit like a grant or prize, or even a 

back brace. Scammers like to make the situation so 

immediate that you can’t stop to check it out.

These scams can be extremely lucrative. Reported 

losses to government imposter scams add up to more 

than $450 million since 2014. Only 6% of people who 

report government imposters say they lost money.

3 But 

when people do lose money, it’s a lot: the median 

individual reported loss is $960.4 People ages 20 to 59 

report losing money to these scams at higher rates than 

people 60 and over, but median individual reported 

losses increase with age. People 80 and over report a 

median loss of $2,700.5

Gift cards are now the payment method of choice for 

these scammers. Most people who tell us they lost 

money to a government imposter say they gave the 

scammer the PIN number on the back of gift cards like 

Google Play or iTunes cards.6 Wire transfers come in a 

distant second to gift cards as a payment method. But 

with both methods, the scammer gets quick cash while 

staying anonymous, and the money is simply gone. 

The top government imposters reported so far in 2019 

have both familiar and new faces. The FTC reported 

recently about the dramatic surge in Social Security 

imposters, but IRS imposters are still hanging on in the 

top five. Scammers use “bureau” or “administration” 

in their name to make their government grant offers 

sound official, and use generic names like “sheriff’s 

office” to suggest a hefty law enforcement presence. 

Government imposters will adapt quickly to find new 

ways to get your money. Lots of government agencies 

have been impersonated, including the FTC. The 
Consumer Protection Data Spotlight | July 2019 2

scammer’s pitch is even more convincing when they 

fake the number on your caller ID so it shows the 

name or phone number of a real government agency. It’s 

illegal to fake the number on caller ID, but scammers 

know it helps convince people that the caller really is 

with the government.

So what can you do to protect yourself against 

imposters when their stories keep changing? 

 Be suspicious of any call from a

government agency asking for money or

information. Government agencies don’t call

you with threats, or promises of – or demands

for – money. Scammers do.

 Don’t trust caller ID – it can be faked. Even

if it might look like a real call, don’t trust it.

 Never pay with a gift card or wire transfer.

If someone tells you to pay this way, it’s a

scam.

 Check with the real agency. Look up their

number. Call them to find out if they’re trying

to reach you – and why.

Report government imposter scams to the FTC at 

FTC.gov/complaint. To learn more, visit 

ftc.gov/imposters. Want to explore the data? Visit the 

new interactive infographic on government imposters.

1 People reported about 41,400, 39,600, and 46,600 government imposter scams to Sentinel in March, April, and May 2019 respectively. Prior to March 2019, the highest 

monthly reporting levels for government imposter scams on record were in September 2016 with about 38,400 reports filed.

2 From January 2018 through May 2019, 96% of people who reported a government imposter scam and specified a contact method said they were contacted by telephone.

3 Figure based on reports to Sentinel from January 2018 through May 2019 that were classified as government imposter scams.

4 Median loss calculations are based on government imposter reports submitted to Sentinel from January 2018 through May 2019 that indicated a monetary loss ($1 -

$999,999). 

5 Age comparison and median loss figure based on government imposter reports in from January 2014 through May 2019 that indicated a monetary loss. People who said 

they were 20 – 59 filed loss reports at a rate of 269 reports per million people in this age group, while people who said they were 60 and over filed 211 loss reports per 

million people in this age group. Population numbers obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Selected 

Age Groups by Sex for the United States, States, Counties and Puerto Rico Commonwealth and Municipios (June 2018). Not all reports include usable age information.

6 Gift\reload cards were identified as the payment method for 58% of government imposter reports to Sentinel from January 2018 through May 2019 that indicated a 

payment method. Wire transfers were identified as the payment method for 13% of these reports.

Oh, the stories scammers tell . . . 

Phony Social Security Administration –

“Your Social Security number has been 

frozen, but we’ll help you keep your money 

‘safe’!”

Health & Human Services/Medicare con –

“Call now for your free back brace!”

IRS imposter – “There’s a lawsuit against 

you for unpaid taxes.”

Fake government grant offer – “You’re 

eligible for a government grant . . . for a fee.”

Bogus police, sheriff, or FBI – “There is a 

warrant for your arrest for failing to appear in 

court!”

The FTC uses reports from the public to investigate and stop fraud, for consumer education and outreach, and for 

analyses like this. File your fraud report at FTC.gov/complaint. To explore Sentinel data, visit FTC.gov/data. 

The FTC uses reports from the public to investigate and stop fraud, for consumer education and outreach, and for 

analyses like this. File your fraud report at FTC.gov/complaint. To explore Sentinel data, visit FTC.gov/data.