FBI Warns of Sophisticated Scam Using Real Agents' Names, Spoofed Numbers
Scammers are employing a new tactic that makes it difficult for victims to verify calls, leading to significant financial losses.
The FBI is alerting the public to a sophisticated scam that involves impersonating federal agents and using spoofed government phone numbers. This "insidious new twist" on an old scheme makes it challenging for potential victims to distinguish legitimate calls from fraudulent ones, the agency reported on September 29.
Scammers are posing as agents from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Secret Service. They are spoofing authentic agency phone numbers and using the names of real federal agents to lend credibility to their calls. The new tactic can fool individuals even when they attempt to verify the caller's identity by contacting the agency directly. When a victim calls a field office to confirm an agent's identity, staff may verify that the named agent does indeed work there, creating a false sense of security. The FBI stated that confirming employment does not establish whether that specific agent made the call.
This scam has been ongoing for decades, but the current iteration employs tactics that make verification exceptionally difficult. The FBI Newark office in New Jersey issued the warning, noting that victims have reported criminals posing as federal agents. In some instances, scammers have even staged video calls that mimic an FBI office, complete with a desk, an FBI seal, and an individual in a suit.
According to the FBI, impersonators commonly accuse victims of crimes and demand payments to avoid arrest or prosecution. The agency advises Americans to "never send money to anyone claiming to be a federal law enforcement agent" and to verify agency phone numbers and agent identities. If unable to verify information with a local office, individuals are encouraged to contact the FBI's main office in Washington D.C.
An earlier alert, issued on September 17, indicated that the FBI had received nearly 61,000 complaints regarding this impersonation scam between January 2025 and July 2026. The total financial losses reported by victims during this period exceeded $1.6 billion.
Scammers often use urgent or aggressive language and may insist on speaking only to their intended victim. They might pressure victims to keep the call secret from family, friends, banks, or law enforcement, and may keep the victim on the phone throughout the scam. Payment is typically demanded through methods such as prepaid cards, couriers, bank wires, cryptocurrency, or cash inserted into cryptocurrency kiosks.
The earlier alert also mentioned that scammers are targeting individuals by claiming their passport, driver's license, or professional license is expiring and demanding payment for renewal. Additionally, the FBI noted that these fraudsters may target specific ethnic communities, foreign nationals, or international students in the U.S. By impersonating foreign law enforcement agencies or U.S.-based foreign diplomatic officials, scammers may threaten victims with extradition or the cancellation of their home country passport.