The FBI says scammers frequently rely on urgent government impersonation narratives to coerce older victims. The tactics are tied to identity theft and credential harvesting, leading to significant financial losses.

The FBI’s report focuses on a pattern of fraud in which scammers impersonate government personnel to intimidate older adults and compel them to act quickly. According to the warning, messages may allege that a warrant has been issued or that an arrest is imminent—language crafted to create panic and reduce a victim’s ability to verify the claim. These communications are typically delivered via direct outreach such as phone calls, text messages, or email. The goal is often to extract personal and financial information, including login details, payment instructions, or identity data that can later be used for account takeover and other forms of identity theft. The FBI describes that seniors reporting losses commonly encountered a mix of social engineering pressure and identity-theft-backed claims, making the scam feel credible to the victim. The warning underscores that coercive authority claims are a hallmark of impersonation fraud, especially when unsolicited. The FBI advises consumers not to treat unexpected “law enforcement” contact as legitimate without independent verification, and to avoid providing information or following instructions from unknown parties. If targeted, victims should prioritize account security and reporting, since the stolen data can be used beyond the initial incident.