What is a government impersonation scam?
A government impersonation scam involves criminals posing as tax authorities, law enforcement, immigration officials, or other government agencies to frighten victims into making urgent payments or sharing personal information.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Government impersonation scams exploit the authority and fear that government agencies can inspire. The scenario is almost always urgent and threatening: you owe unpaid taxes and will be arrested; your national insurance number has been used in criminal activity; your immigration status is under review; a warrant has been issued in your name. The goal is to bypass calm thinking by creating overwhelming fear.
Calls may arrive from spoofed numbers displaying genuine government phone numbers. Correspondence can include official-looking letters with government branding. More recently, automated pre-recorded calls (robocalls) have been used at scale to reach thousands of potential victims simultaneously.
Payment demands are always in unusual forms: gift cards, wire transfers to foreign accounts, or cryptocurrency. This is the clearest distinguishing feature, since no government agency accepts these payment methods for legitimate obligations.
Immigrant communities are disproportionately targeted, as the fear of immigration consequences can be particularly acute. Fraudsters may specifically search for people with recent visa activity or foreign-sounding names. The same targeting applies to people with recent business formations or tax filings.
Common red flags
- An official-sounding call or letter demanding immediate payment to avoid arrest or penalty
- Payment is required by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a money service
- The scenario involves urgency — you must act today to avoid arrest or deportation
- You are told to keep the matter confidential and not to speak to a lawyer or family
- A genuine-looking government number appears on caller ID (which can be spoofed)
- The penalty or amount due changes each time you call back or question it
What to do now
- Hang up. Real government agencies send written notices before any enforcement action
- Call the relevant agency directly using the number from their official government website
- Do not pay in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer — these are never legitimate government payment methods
- Report the call to your national fraud authority and the specific agency being impersonated
- If you paid, contact your bank and report to police immediately
Frequently asked questions
Would the IRS (or HMRC) ever call me about an unpaid tax bill?
Tax authorities do communicate by phone in some circumstances, but only after sending written notices first. They will never demand immediate payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer during a phone call, and they will never threaten immediate arrest on the phone.
I received an official-looking letter about a tax debt. Is this real?
Fraudsters do send physical letters as well as calls. Verify by calling the tax authority using the number on their official website — not the number in the letter — to confirm whether the correspondence is genuine.