Important: A video call, telephone number, employee name, badge, or other official-looking information does not prove that the person contacting you is really a government official.
What changed?
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) issued a public service announcement on September 17, 2026, warning that criminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to impersonate government and law-enforcement officials.
Scammers may use fake phone numbers, stolen identities, convincing text messages, and AI-generated video or audio to appear to be FBI agents, police officers, or other government officials.
The FBI reports that government/law-enforcement impersonation scams generated nearly 61,000 complaints and more than $1.6 billion in reported losses between January 2025 and July 2026.
Who is affected?
Anyone can be targeted, but older adults are an important target for these scams.
Common approaches include claims that the victim:
- You missed jury duty
- You have an outstanding warrant
- You are involved in a criminal investigation
- You must pay a fine immediately
- You must transfer money to protect your accounts
When?
The FBI warning was issued .
These scams are active now.
What does this mean?
A video call, telephone number, employee name, badge, or other official-looking information does NOT prove that the person contacting you is really a government official.
AI can make impersonation attempts look and sound much more convincing.
What should you do?
If someone claiming to be a government or law-enforcement official demands money or personal information:
- 1
Hang up or stop responding.
You do not owe the caller a conversation.
- 2
Do not send money.
Do not pay anyone who contacted you unexpectedly and demanded payment.
- 3
Do not provide personal information.
Never share your Social Security number, bank information, passwords, or verification codes.
- 4
Do not send cryptocurrency, gift cards, prepaid cards, or cash.
Legitimate officials do not demand immediate payment through these methods.
- 5
Contact the agency yourself.
Look up the agency’s official telephone number independently and call it directly. Do not use a number given to you by the caller.
- 6
Report the incident.
If you believe you have been defrauded, report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
- 7
People age 60 and older can call the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline.
The Elder Justice Hotline is available at 1-833-372-8311.
What this does not mean
A legitimate government agency may contact you about official business.
The warning does not mean every unexpected government communication is fraudulent.
The important distinction is that legitimate officials do not demand immediate payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards, prepaid cards, or similar methods.
Current status
- CURRENT
September 17, 2026
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) issued a public service announcement about AI-powered government impersonation scams.
- CURRENT
Now
These scams are active now.
Official sources
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3):
About this information
Senior Life Watchdog provides general public information and is not a government agency, law firm, financial advisory service, or healthcare provider. This information is intended to help readers understand changes and locate official resources. Rules can change and individual eligibility depends on your circumstances. Always verify important information with the appropriate government agency or qualified professional before making financial, legal, or healthcare decisions.
Last verified: September 23, 2026
We’ll update this page when official information changes.
VERIFY THE INFORMATION
- Source:
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- Official publication:
- Public Service Announcement I-091726-PSA
- Published/updated:
- Last verified by Senior Life Watchdog:
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