Tag: Government Impersonators

All year round, scammers pose as government agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to try to steal your money. Scammers sometimes make unexpected calls pretending to be FTC employees like Chief Privacy Officer John Krebs — but it’s not actually him. Here’s how the scam works so you can spot and avoid it.

Scammers like to pretend to be someone official to try to get your money. And who could be more official than the FTC chairman and commissioners, some of the nation’s leading fraud fighters? But here’s something important to know: nobody who works at the FTC will ever, EVER tell you to move your money to protect it. We won’t insist that you cash out your 401(k) or savings account and give that money to someone else.

If you own a business or know someone who does, you know how important a trademark is for protecting your intellectual property. Scammers do, too, and they’re impersonating the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to steal your money. Here’s how the scam works.

Scammers posing as government agencies or well-known businesses are increasingly going after retirees’ life savings. They weave a web of lies about some bogus crisis. Then they trick older adults into giving them tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Scammers are still pretending to be the police, calling to say you’ve missed jury duty and need to pay. But in a new twist, some scammers are now telling you to visit a website to enter your personal information — all so they can steal it and your money.

If someone contacts you unexpectedly and tells you to buy gold bars and hand them to someone (anyone!) to “protect your money,” you’ve spotted a scam. Instead of doing what they say, stop. Want to know how these scams work and how to avoid them? Read on.

Scammers know natural disasters create opportunities to take advantage of people. One way they do that is by impersonating Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials to steal people’s money and personal information. FEMA impersonators often show up, call, or text people after a weather emergency and offer services like disaster grants or home inspections for a fee, usually cash up front. But these are scams: FEMA doesn’t charge people for disaster assistance.

Got a letter in the mail from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) saying you owe money due to an overpayment of your benefits? You might be wondering: Was I really overpaid? How much do I need to pay back? To get real answers to questions like these, always start by logging into your VA.gov account.

Have you gotten a call that looks like it’s from your local police department? Scammers are faking caller ID to impersonate local law enforcement, hoping to get you to pay. Learn how this scam works so you can avoid it.

If you want to use your driver’s license to fly, you’ll need a REAL ID. If you don’t have one yet, your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is the place to go, and they’re only taking in-person appointments. But people are telling the FTC that scammers are pretending to be the DMV or another government agency. Reports say these “officials” are sending messages saying you can skip the line if you pay or give them information. Here’s how that scam works so you can avoid it.