Government & Utility Impersonation Scams
Some of the most frightening scams use fake authority: a caller claiming to be the IRS, Social Security, the police, a court, immigration officials or the power company, threatening arrest, deportation or a shutoff unless you pay right away. Real agencies don’t work that way.
- Everyone
- Immigrant workers
- Older adults
Photo: phone call from a number labeled “Police Department” with a scam warning
Common versions
- IRS or tax: “You owe back taxes and will be arrested today unless you pay.”
- Social Security: “Your number has been suspended because of a crime.”
- Police, courts or jury duty: “You missed jury duty and there’s a warrant. Pay a fine to avoid arrest.”
- Immigration: threats about your status or a family member’s. See Immigrant Workers’ Rights.
- Utilities: “Your power will be shut off in 30 minutes unless you pay now.”
- Toll agencies and DMV: unpaid tolls or license problems by text. See Text Message Scams.
How you know it’s a scam
- Threats of immediate arrest, deportation, license suspension or shutoff
- Demands for payment by gift card, wire, crypto, payment app or cash handed to a courier
- Insisting you stay on the phone and not tell anyone
- Caller ID showing a government name (it can be faked)
- Asking you to confirm your Social Security number or bank details
How real agencies work
- The IRS usually contacts you first by mail and won’t demand immediate payment by phone or threaten to have police arrest you.
- Social Security won’t threaten you, suspend your number or ask for gift cards.
- Police and courts don’t call to collect fines over the phone to cancel a warrant.
- Utilities send shutoff notices by mail in advance and offer normal payment methods.
What to do
- Hang up. Don’t press buttons or call back the number they give.
- Look up the agency’s official number yourself and call to ask if there’s really a problem.
- Never pay with gift cards, crypto or cash couriers.
- Report government impersonation to the agency’s inspector general and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- If you paid, contact your bank or the gift card company immediately. See Reporting Scams.
Standards & references
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