Impersonation & Government Scam Statistics
Reported losses and complaint volumes for imposter and government-impersonation scams, drawn from FTC Consumer Sentinel and FBI IC3 official reports.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Impersonation scams involve a criminal pretending to be a trusted authority — a government agency such as the IRS or Social Security Administration, a bank, a courier company, or even a law enforcement officer — to pressure or deceive a victim into transferring money or revealing personal information. The FTC consistently ranks imposter scams as the most commonly reported fraud category in the United States.
The real scale of government-impersonation fraud is substantially larger than reported figures show. Many victims, particularly older adults, do not report because they feel embarrassed, blame themselves, or do not know where to make a report. The FTC and AARP have both documented that shame is the single biggest barrier to reporting, with surveys suggesting only a minority of fraud victims file any official complaint.
Key figures
$2.95 billion reported lost to imposter scams in 2024 — the second-largest loss category
Total imposter scam losses reported to FTC (US)
Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network 2024 Data Book (2024)
$789 million in reported losses to government imposter scams in 2024, up $171 million from 2023
Government impersonation scam losses reported to FTC (US)
Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network 2024 Data Book (2024)
Imposter scams were the single most commonly reported fraud category to the FTC in 2024, representing 13% of all Sentinel reports
Imposter scams as a share of all 2024 FTC Sentinel reports
Source: FTC Consumer Sentinel Network 2024 Data Book (2024)
$1.46 billion in losses from tech-support and government-impersonation call-centre fraud in 2024; 215 arrests in joint FBI–India CBI operations
FBI IC3 tech support and government impersonation call-centre fraud losses (US)
Source: FBI IC3 2024 Annual Internet Crime Report (2024)
Key takeaways
- Imposter scams were the most commonly reported fraud category to the FTC in 2024, with $2.95 billion in reported losses — second only to investment scams.
- Government impersonation scams specifically cost US consumers $789 million in 2024, a $171 million increase over 2023.
- Criminals impersonating US government agencies frequently demand payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency — methods that legitimate agencies never use.
- Under-reporting is pervasive: the FTC notes that only a small fraction of fraud victims file official complaints, so true losses are a multiple of recorded figures.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a government agency contact is real?
Legitimate government agencies — including the IRS, Social Security Administration, and HMRC — will never demand immediate payment via gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency. They do not threaten arrest over the phone or pressure you to keep the contact secret. If you receive such a call, hang up and independently look up the agency's official number to verify.