How to spot fake FTC websites and FTC impersonators

Last year, the Federal Trade Commission got more than 1 million reports about imposter scams, with reported losses of $3.5 billion. Many people report scammers pretending to be the FTC, including fake FTC websites. Learn more about how to spot an FTC imposter website and what the FTC is doing to take them down.

Scammers want to steal your money, take your personal information, or gain access to your accounts. That’s why they impersonate FTC employees (using real and made-up identities), pretend to be FTC “agents” and show you fake FTC credentials like a badge, and create websites that use the FTC’s logo to mimic the FTC’s official website.

The FTC is committed to halting FTC impersonators. Since the FTC’s Impersonation Rule took effect in April 2024, the agency has demanded the removal of more than 30 FTC imposter websites. Here’s what to know so you can spot the fakes.

Scammers clone the FTC’s website — sometimes using the FTC’s name, logo, web design, or content — to trick you into believing it’s a real FTC website and steal your personal information. This includes scammy sites claiming to be the official FTC website that end in .com, .org, .us, or .online. But real FTC websites always end in .gov — that includes ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Before you enter your personal information and report details, confirm you’re on an official FTC site.

Scammers also send text, email, and social media messages, or call, pretending to be the FTC. A real FTC employee will never say you have to “protect” your money by transferring it or giving someone cash. Learn more about spotting an FTC imposter scam.

If you spot an FTC imposter scam — or any other type of scam — report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.