Impersonation scams involving fake police officers and government officials cost victims more than $1.6 billion between January 2025 and July 2026, according to the FBI. Criminals typically threaten victims with arrest, fines or other legal consequences unless they make an immediate payment, using phone calls, artificial intelligence, fake uniforms and mock government offices to appear credible.

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded nearly 61,000 complaints, with average losses exceeding $26,000 per complaint. Scams targeting missed jury duty or court dates caused almost $36 million in losses, while profession-specific fraud generated more than $37 million; schemes targeting foreign nationals and international students accounted for 1,809 complaints but over $140 million in losses. The FBI stressed that legitimate law-enforcement agencies do not demand payment by telephone to resolve alleged criminal or administrative matters.