Scammers Love Dressing Up as the Government—Don’t Be Fooled
In this type of scam, the criminal pretends to be from a government agency like the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), or law enforcement. They attempt to intimidate you into paying a fine or penalty that you supposedly owe to the government. Within the last 6 months every member of my family has been targeted.
They may contact you initially through an email, a text message, social media, or with a phone call. The scammer advises you that unless you act immediately, you will suffer the loss of a benefit or even face a large fine or criminal charges. The scammer can be aggressive and may threaten to confiscate property, freeze bank accounts, or send authorities to arrest you.
SSA and Medicare impersonators
In this type of fraud, the scammer claims that unless you pay immediately, your Social Security or Medicare benefits will end, or your Social Security number will be suspended. They often request personal information, such as your Social Security or Medicare number, to steal your identity while they’re scamming you out of money.
To be clear: The SSA and Medicare will not threaten to end your benefits, nor will they suspend your personal ID number.
IRS impersonators
The fraudster claims that you owe taxes and uses threats of arrest or deportation if you do not pay immediately. They may also claim that your driver’s or professional license will be revoked if you fail to cooperate. To appear more authentic, they may pretend to have information about you, including your Social Security number or taxpayer ID number.
The IRS communicates primarily through the mail, including in cases involving delinquent taxes. The IRS never demands immediate payment, nor does it make threats of arrest or to call the local police.
DMV Impersonators
These bad actors claim you owe unpaid tickets from years ago. They may threaten fines, license suspension, or even arrest if you don’t pay immediately. Remember, legitimate DMVs typically communicate through official mail — not unsolicited calls, texts, or emails demanding payment. Stay vigilant and don’t share personal or financial information.
Law enforcement impersonators
This type of impersonator claims to be with the local court, sheriff’s office, or police department and asserts that you missed a court date, failed to appear for jury duty, or have delinquent taxes or unpaid citations. The scammer threatens that unless immediate payment for these fictional infractions is made, a warrant will be issued for your arrest.
Law enforcement agencies do not call individuals and demand money, nor do they accept gift cards as payment.
There have also been instances of scammers impersonating foreign governments or law enforcement agencies.
Guidelines to remember and to discuss with your family
(all generations)
Don’t wire money, mail cash, or use gift cards or cryptocurrency to pay someone who claims to be from the government. Scammers may request that you use these methods because they are hard to track and it’s almost impossible to get your money back.
Don’t give financial or other personal information to anyone who calls you claiming to be with a government agency. If you suspect a scam, hang up, then call the government agency directly at a number you know to be correct.
Don’t trust your caller ID. It is common for impersonators to spoof the names and numbers of government agencies.
Don’t click on links in unexpected emails or text messages. Scammers send messages that look like they’re from a government agency but are designed to steal your money and your personal information. Report the message as phishing to the real government agency, then delete the message.
Questions to ask yourself
Did I call the person back at the number they provided?
Can I find that same phone number on the IRS or other government agency website?
Was there a sense of urgency regarding the payment?
Were there any threats made if payment wasn’t received?
Was I asked for any personal information, and did I provide it?
How did the “representative’ contact me?
Did I click any hyperlinks in an email or text message?
Scam alerts don’t discriminate—whether it’s the text my 22-year-old son got about an “unpaid ticket from 3 years ago” or the voicemail my 80-year-old aunt received threatening “unpaid fees,” the anxiety hits just the same. Fraudsters know how to press our panic buttons, hoping we’ll act before we think. The antidote is simple: keep the conversation going. The more we share stories, compare screenshots, and swap “does this look legit?” moments, the harder it becomes for scammers to catch us off-guard. Consider this blog your next talking point; read on, pass it along, and let’s make staying scam-savvy a family habit.