How do I report a government impersonation scam?
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the agency being impersonated. In the UK, report to Action Fraud and to HMRC's phishing team at [email protected].
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Government impersonation scams involve criminals posing as the IRS, Social Security Administration, HMRC, DVLA, police, or other authorities. They use fear of arrest, deportation, or fines to push victims into making immediate payments. Real government agencies never demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency, and never threaten immediate arrest for failing to pay.
In the US, report IRS impersonation to both the FTC and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at tigta.gov or 1-800-366-4484. Report Social Security Administration impersonation to the SSA's Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov. Report all government impersonation to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
In the UK, report HMRC impersonation to [email protected] for emails or [email protected] for texts. Report to Action Fraud for the crime record. For impersonation of the police, report to your local force and Action Fraud.
Forward any scam communications to the reporting addresses before deleting them. Preserve screenshots if the scam came via text, call, or social media. If you paid, contact your bank immediately and file a police report for a crime reference number. Even if you did not pay, report the attempt to help protect others.
Common red flags
- A caller claimed an arrest warrant was issued for you and demanded immediate payment
- You received a text about a tax refund requiring you to click a link
- An email from 'HMRC' or the 'IRS' asked you to confirm personal details
- The caller said your Social Security number had been suspended
- You were told to buy gift cards and read the codes over the phone
- The caller refused to give their badge number or let you call back
What to do now
- Do not make any payment — hang up or delete the message
- Report to the FTC and the relevant agency's fraud team
- Forward phishing emails to [email protected] (UK) or to [email protected] (US)
- Report suspicious texts to 7726
- File with Action Fraud or local police if in the UK
- Read /scams/government-impersonation-scams for common tactics
Frequently asked questions
What if I am worried the call might be from a real government agency?
Hang up and call the agency back using the phone number from their official website. Do not use any number given during the call. Real agencies will not object to this, and a scammer will often become aggressive when you suggest calling back independently.
Can scammers really spoof official government numbers?
Yes. Caller ID spoofing is technically easy and cheap. A call appearing to come from a government number is not proof that the caller is legitimate. Always verify by calling back independently.