Federal Law Enforcement Agencies Warn of
Impersonation Scam Involving Credentials and Badges
Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration
New reports show that scammers are reviving an old tactic to gain trust. Scammers are emailing and texting pictures of real and doctored law enforcement credentials and badges to prove they are legitimate and scam people out of money. Scammers may change the picture or use a different name, agency, or badge number, but the basic scam is the same.
Federal law enforcement agencies are warning the public to be skeptical of email and text messages claiming to be someone from a government or law enforcement agency. No one in federal law enforcement will send photographs of credentials or badges to demand any kind of payment, and neither will government employees.
Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Department of Labor OIG, NASA OIG, the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) joined forces to issue this scam alert.
HOW A GOVERNMENT IMPOSTER SCAM WORKS
These scams primarily use telephone to contact you, but scammers may also use email, text message, social media, or U.S. mail. Scammers pretend to be from an agency or organization you know to gain your trust. Scammers say there is a problem or a prize. Scammers pressure you to act immediately. Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way.
TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SCAMS: Visit the ftc.gov/scam to read about common scams.
IF YOU ARE A VICTIM: Stop talking to the scammer. Notify financial institutions and safeguard accounts. Contact local law enforcement and file a police report. File a complaint with the FBI IC3 at www.ic3.gov and with the Federal Trade Commission.
Keep financial transaction information and the record of all communications with the scammer if you should need for future reference and reporting.
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