Impersonation Scam Calls Pretending to Be Government or Big Companies

Impersonation calls are the second biggest named scam call category in our data. People have filed 55,248 complaints about 30,815 phone numbers where the caller pretended to be a government agency, a bank or a well known company.

Who scammers pretend to be

• Government agencies such as the Social Security Administration, the IRS or Medicare
• Your bank or credit card company, often with a fake "fraud alert"
• Big companies such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft or utility companies
• Police, courts or a lawyer, claiming you or a relative are in trouble

Warning signs

• They say your account, benefits or Social Security number is suspended or at risk.
• They threaten arrest, fines or legal action unless you pay now.
• They ask you to pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or payment apps.
• They ask you to keep the call secret or stay on the line while you go to the bank.
• They already know some of your details, which makes the call feel real. This information often comes from data breaches.

What to do

• Hang up. Real agencies and companies will not threaten you or demand immediate payment by phone.
• Call the organization back using a number you find yourself, such as on your card, statement or the official website.
• Never share your Social Security number, bank login or one-time codes with someone who called you.
• If you paid or shared information, contact your bank right away. People aged 60 and over can also call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311.
• Report the call at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The most common impersonation scams by phone

Social Security and SSA calls

Callers claim your Social Security number has been "suspended" or linked to a crime, or that your benefits will stop unless you act now. Some offer to "move your money to a safe account". The Social Security Administration does not suspend numbers and will never ask you to move money or pay with gift cards. Read more in Social Security scams in 2026 and fake SSA audit calls.

Medicare calls

Scammers offer new Medicare cards, free genetic tests or back braces, and ask for your Medicare number. Medicare does not call to sell you anything or to issue new cards. See why Medicare is not sending plastic chip cards and Medicare scam warning signs.

IRS and tax calls

A caller says you owe back taxes and will be arrested unless you pay immediately. The IRS usually contacts people by mail first and does not demand payment by gift card, wire transfer or cryptocurrency.

FTC, police and "federal agent" calls

Some scammers even pretend to be from the FTC, the agency that fights scams. They may send a photo of a badge or ask you to join a video call with a fake officer. Our breakdown of fake FTC calls that end in a Zoom police interview shows each step.

Bank fraud department calls

A caller says there is fraud on your account and asks you to read a one-time code, move money or even hand your card to a courier. Your bank will never send someone to collect your card. See bank scam couriers.

Tech companies

Calls claiming to be from Microsoft, Apple or Amazon usually say your computer or account has been hacked and ask for remote access. Our guides to fake Microsoft support calls and tech support scams for seniors explain how to respond.

A family member in trouble

A newer version uses AI to copy a grandchild’s voice and ask for bail or emergency money. Learn how to set up a family safe word in how to protect your family from an AI voice grandparent scam.

Why impersonation calls feel so real

• Spoofed caller ID. The call can show the real name or number of an agency or bank. The FCC explains that caller ID can be faked easily, so it should never be treated as proof.
• Stolen personal details. Scammers often know your name, address or part of your Social Security number from past data breaches. This makes them sound official.
• Fear and authority. Threats of arrest, lost benefits or frozen accounts push people to act before they think.
• Isolation. Callers often insist you stay on the line and tell no one, so a friend or family member cannot step in.

A simple rule that stops almost every impersonation scam

If someone calls you claiming to be from a government agency, your bank or a big company, hang up and call back using a number you find yourself. Use the number on your card, your statement, an official letter or the organization’s official website. A real agency will still be there when you call back. A scammer will not.

It also helps to agree on this rule with parents and grandparents ahead of time. Many families write it on a card next to the phone.

How agencies really contact you

• Social Security, IRS and Medicare usually contact you by mail first and do not threaten arrest over the phone.
• No government agency will ask you to pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or payment apps.
• Your bank will not ask you to move money to a "safe account" or read out a one-time code it sent you.
• Tech companies do not call you out of the blue to fix your computer.

If you already paid or shared information

• Contact your bank or card issuer immediately using the number on your card.
• If you paid with gift cards, call the gift card company using the number on the back of the card and ask them to freeze the balance.
• If you shared your Social Security number, place a free credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
• If you gave someone remote access to your computer, disconnect it from the internet and have it checked.

Our full guide, what to do in the first 48 hours after a scam, goes through each payment type. Watch out for follow-up calls offering to recover your money for a fee, which are covered in why past scam victims are targeted again.

Most reported impersonation scam numbers

These are the 30 impersonation numbers with the most complaints in our database. Click a number to see the details.

Complaint counts are unverified consumer reports, mostly from FTC Do Not Call data, as of September 2026. A number on this list may have been spoofed, meaning scammers faked it and the real owner may be innocent. We list only numbers with 10 or more complaints.

For the full data behind this page, see our scam call statistics case study, which looks at 475,404 complaints in detail.

Who impersonation scammers target most

• Older adults are frequent targets of Social Security, Medicare and grandparent calls. Losses in this age group are often larger because savings and retirement accounts are involved.
• Immigrants and visa holders are often targeted by callers pretending to be immigration or police officials who threaten deportation.
• Recent scam victims are called again by people pretending to be government recovery agents or lawyers. See why past scam victims are targeted again.
• Veterans are targeted by callers claiming to help with VA benefits for a fee. Read why veterans should never pay to apply for VA benefits.

Helping an older relative stay safe from impersonation calls

1. Talk about it before it happens. Explain that real agencies do not threaten arrest by phone and never ask for gift cards or cryptocurrency.
2. Set a family safe word. If someone calls claiming to be a grandchild in trouble, the caller must know the word. This works well against AI voice cloning.
3. Keep official numbers handy. Write down the real numbers for their bank, Social Security, Medicare and their doctor so they can call back safely.
4. Turn on call filtering. Our list of phone settings that stop most scam calls and free carrier blocking options can be set up in a few minutes.
5. Make it safe to ask. Tell them they will never be judged for calling you to check. Scammers rely on embarrassment and secrecy.

What people describe in impersonation complaints

Across the complaints we track, people describing impersonation calls often mention the same details:

• A caller who already knew their name and address
• A threat of arrest, a lawsuit or losing benefits
• A request to stay on the line while going to the bank or a store
• A request to buy gift cards, send cryptocurrency or use a payment app
• A second caller who "transfers in" as a supervisor, officer or lawyer to make the story feel real

These patterns match what we see in the wider data, where impersonation is the second biggest named category after debt relief. For the full picture, see our scam call statistics case study and our guide on how to spot any scam in 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Can Social Security really suspend my number?

No. The Social Security Administration does not suspend Social Security numbers. A call saying yours has been suspended is a scam.

The caller ID showed a real government number. Could it still be fake?

Yes. Caller ID spoofing lets scammers display a real agency’s name or number. Hang up and call the agency back using its official number.

Why did the caller know my address and part of my Social Security number?

This information is often exposed in data breaches and sold online. Knowing your details does not make a caller legitimate.

Will the police or a federal agent call to ask for payment?

No. Law enforcement does not call people to collect fines or bail over the phone, and never asks for gift cards or cryptocurrency.

Related reading

• Scam call statistics 2026 from 475,000 real complaints
• Debt relief scam call numbers to watch out for
• Toll-free scam numbers reported most in 2026
• The 5 costliest scams hitting older adults
• Digital arrest extortion scam

Sources

• FTC: Robocalls
• FCC: Caller ID spoofing
• Report fraud to the FTC
• National Elder Fraud Hotline
• FTC: Do Not Call complaint data