US Scams: IRS, Impersonation & Online Fraud Guide
Top scams in the United States and how to report to the FTC, FBI IC3, and your bank.
Emergency number: 911 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
In the US, government impersonation (IRS, Social Security, law enforcement), tech support scams, gift-card payment demands, and investment/crypto fraud are especially common. This guide covers the leading scams and the official reporting routes: the FTC, the FBI's IC3, and your financial institution.
The impersonation playbook is remarkably consistent: a call, text, or browser pop-up manufactures an emergency — your Social Security number was 'suspended', a warrant was issued, your Amazon account was charged, your computer is infected — and then steers you to pay or 'protect' money in ways no real agency uses: gift cards read out over the phone, wire transfers, crypto ATMs, or couriers collecting cash and gold. Grandparent scams add a family twist, sometimes using AI-cloned voices of a relative supposedly in jail or in an accident. Toll-road and USPS smishing waves hit phones nationwide, harvesting card details that feed later fraud.
Payment-app and bank fraud is the other constant. Fake 'bank fraud department' calls talk victims into sending money to themselves via Zelle — which actually routes it to the scammer — and check washing and stolen-mail fraud persist alongside the digital schemes. Investment fraud, especially crypto pig-butchering that starts with a wrong-number text or dating-app match, produces the largest individual losses; funds are moved onto convincing fake trading platforms that show phantom gains until the victim tries to withdraw. Report fast: your bank or card issuer first, then the FTC at ReportFraud and the FBI's IC3, and IdentityTheft.gov if personal data was exposed. Remember the golden rule: no legitimate US agency or company demands payment by gift card, wire, or crypto.
Common scams
- IRS and Social Security impersonation
- Tech support and remote-access scams
- Gift-card payment scams
- Investment, crypto and pig-butchering fraud
Tourist-specific scams
- Overpriced rides
- Ticket resale scams
- Fake vacation-rental listings and resort-fee bait pricing
- CD/'mixtape' and bracelet street hustles that turn into demands for cash
Online shopping scams
- Phishing and smishing (delivery, banking)
- Marketplace and non-delivery scams
- Toll-road and USPS 'unpaid fee' text scams
- Zelle 'send money to yourself' bank-impersonation fraud
Job scams
- Task scams
- Fake check overpayment scams
- Reshipping mule scams
Romance scams
- Romance and pig-butchering scams via dating apps
- Wrong-number texts that warm up into friendship and crypto 'investing'
- Military or offshore-worker personas requesting gift cards and wires
Investment scams
- Fake trading platforms and 'AI bots'
- Crypto giveaway and wallet-draining scams
- Pig-butchering platforms showing phantom gains until withdrawal is blocked
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank or card issuer immediately
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov
- Report internet crime to the FBI at ic3.gov
- For identity theft, use IdentityTheft.gov
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Contact your bank or card issuer right away - card payments and some transfers may be disputable, and the chance of stopping money falls quickly. Use the number on the back of your card or the official app, not a number from the person who contacted you. Say you were deceived into authorising the payment, ask for it to be stopped or recalled and the receiving account flagged, and get a reference number. Note that Zelle and wire transfers are treated differently from card payments: banks are not generally obliged to refund payments you authorised, so the case you build matters — report to the FTC and IC3 as well and give the bank those report numbers. If you paid by gift card, call the card issuer (Apple, Google, Target, etc.) immediately; some cards can be frozen if unspent. If you shared card details, a code, or allowed remote access, say so and ask about new cards, new passwords, and a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
Does the IRS call demanding immediate payment?
No. The IRS initiates contact by mail and never demands immediate payment by gift card, crypto, or wire, nor threatens arrest by phone. Such calls are scams.
Why do scammers ask me to send money to myself with Zelle?
It's a trick. A caller posing as your bank's fraud team says a Zelle transfer will 'reverse' fraud, but the enrollment they walk you through actually redirects the money to their own account. Your bank will never ask you to send money to yourself or anyone else to fix fraud.
Can I get my money back after paying a scammer with gift cards?
Sometimes, if you act fast. Contact the company that issued the gift card immediately with the card numbers and receipts — unspent balances can occasionally be frozen. Then report to the FTC. Treat any demand for payment by gift card as a scam in itself.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance