The Basics of Government/Military Imposter Scams
A government or military imposter scam is a type of fraud where scammers pose as government officials or military members in order to trick you into giving them money or personal information. These scams can take many different forms, but all aim to exploit your trust in the government and/or military.
During a government imposter scam, the scammer will pretend to contact you from a government or military agency such as the IRS, Medicare , Social Security Administration or VA. They claim that if you don’t pay a fine or provide personal information you could be deported or arrested, or lose your government/military benefits.
3 Common Tactics Used by a Government Imposter Scammer
There are several common tactics that scammers use in a government imposter scam to trick people into giving them money or personal information, such as:
- Posing as a representative from a real government or military agency, such as the IRS, Social Security Administration, the VA, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Using fake websites or email addresses that look like they are from a government or military agency.
- Calling from a fake government or military office and claiming that you owe money, need to pay a fine or are required to provide personal information — such as your Social Security number, date of birth, or bank account information — to maintain your government/military benefits.