Government Impostor Scams: How to Spot a Fake IRS, Social Security or Medicare Call
The caller says your Social Security number is suspended, or there is a warrant for your arrest, and it can all go away if you pay today. Here is how the scam works and how to end the call.
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📐 Figures verified Sep 28, 2026 against the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center's 2025 Internet Crime Report and the FTC, Social Security Office of the Inspector General, IRS and Medicare guidance on impostor calls. Reported losses undercount the real total; most scams are never reported.
A real government agency will never call to demand immediate payment, threaten arrest, or ask for gift cards, a wire, cryptocurrency or cash. Government impostor complaints to the FBI nearly doubled in 2025, to 32,424, with $797.9 million lost. If a caller says they are from the IRS, Social Security, Medicare or the police, hang up and call the agency yourself.
Numbers That Matter
| Figure | Amount | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government impersonation complaints to the FBI, 2025 | 32,424, up from 17,367 in 2024; $797.9 million lost | FBI IC3 2025 report | Sep 28, 2026 |
| What real agencies won't do | Demand payment by gift card, wire, cryptocurrency or cash, or threaten arrest | FTC | Sep 28, 2026 |
| Social Security | Won't threaten you, suspend your number or demand immediate payment | SSA Office of the Inspector General | Sep 28, 2026 |
| The IRS | Usually contacts you first by mail and never demands a specific payment method | IRS | Sep 28, 2026 |
| Medicare | Won't call uninvited to ask for your Medicare number | Medicare.gov | Sep 28, 2026 |
How Government Impostor Scams Work
The call, text or email says it is from the IRS, the Social Security Administration, Medicare, a court, the police or an agency that sounds official. The story varies: back taxes about to become an arrest warrant, a Social Security number "suspended" for involvement in a crime, a Medicare card that needs "replacing," a missed jury summons or a warrant that can be cleared with a fine. Caller ID may show the agency's real number, because it is easy to fake.
Every version ends the same way: pay now, in a form that can't be traced or reversed, and don't hang up or tell anyone. Some scammers stay on the phone for hours, walk the victim to a bank or crypto ATM, or send a courier to collect cash or gold. Others ask for a Social Security or Medicare number to "verify" your identity and then use it.
The Tells
- A demand for gift cards, a wire, cryptocurrency, a payment app, cash or gold, or a courier sent to your home.
- A threat: arrest, deportation, a suspended Social Security number or a lost benefit, unless you act today.
- An order to keep it secret, stay on the line or lie to your bank about why you are withdrawing money.
- A request to move your savings to a "safe" account to protect it.
- A caller who already knows part of your Social Security number, which scammers buy from data breaches.
The Script to Get Out
Say "I'll call the agency back myself," and hang up. Don't argue, don't confirm any details and don't call back a number the caller gives you. Look up the agency's number on its official website or a letter you already have: the IRS, Social Security and Medicare all list their numbers, and a real problem will still be there when you call.
If You Already Paid or Shared Information
Call whoever moved the money right away: your bank for a wire or transfer, the gift card company with the card numbers, or the crypto exchange. Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI at ic3.gov; for Social Security impostors, the Social Security inspector general also takes reports. If you gave out your Social Security number, freeze your credit at all three bureaus and ask the IRS for an Identity Protection PIN.
Worked Example
- The call: a recorded voice says your Social Security number is suspended because of drug trafficking and connects you to an "agent" who reads out the last four digits of your number.
- The ask: a $2,500 "fine" in gift cards to clear the warrant now, then $6,500 in cash for a federal courier to "protect" your savings tonight, $9,000 in all, and tell the bank teller it is for home repairs.
- The tells: a threat, a demand for cash and a courier, and an instruction to lie to your bank. Social Security does not suspend numbers or send couriers.
- The exit: hang up, call Social Security at the number on its website, and tell a family member.
An illustration built from the tells the FTC and Social Security list.
Decision Rules
If this, then that
- If a caller claims to be from a government agency and wants money → hang up and call the agency at a number you look up yourself
- If anyone asks for gift cards, a wire, crypto, cash or gold → it's a scam; no agency takes payment that way
- If you're told to keep it secret or lie to your bank → stop and tell someone you trust
- If you already paid → call your bank or the payment company first, then report to the FTC and ic3.gov
Mistakes to avoid
- Trusting caller ID; agency numbers are easy to fake.
- Confirming your Social Security or Medicare number to "verify" yourself.
- Calling back a number the caller or a text gives you.
- Staying on the line while you go to the bank or ATM.
Related: First 24 Hours After a Scam gives the recovery steps in order; the Fraud Map shows reported losses per resident in every state; and the Scams & Fraud Protection hub collects every guide.