Imposter scams are designed to make you act before you verify. Stop when someone demands immediate payment, says you must keep the matter secret, threatens arrest or account loss, or insists on gift cards, cryptocurrency, cash, a wire transfer, a payment app, or moving money to 'protect' it.
Treat urgency, secrecy, and unusual payment demands as a stop sign
Imposter scams are designed to make you act before you verify. Stop when someone demands immediate payment, says you must keep the matter secret, threatens arrest or account loss, or insists on gift cards, cryptocurrency, cash, a wire transfer, a payment app, or moving money to 'protect' it.
Do not trust caller ID, logos, badge numbers, or a familiar voice
Caller ID can be spoofed, emails and documents can copy official branding, and a scammer may use a real employee or officer's name. Voice-cloning tools can also imitate a family member. None of those signals proves who is contacting you.
Never move money to protect it or share a verification code
A caller claiming to be from a bank, investment company, government agency, or law-enforcement office may say your money is at risk. Do not transfer it to another account, cryptocurrency wallet, gold dealer, or courier. Do not read back a one-time verification code. Those requests let the scammer take control rather than protect you.
Break contact and verify through a channel you choose
Hang up or stop replying. Contact the real agency, bank, company, police department, or family member using a phone number, app, statement, card, or website you already know is genuine. Do not use the number, link, or transfer destination supplied by the person who contacted you.
Use a family callback rule for emergency stories
If someone sounds like a child, grandchild, spouse, or friend in trouble, call that person directly at a known number. If they do not answer, contact another relative or trusted person who can verify the story. A family code word can help, but the independent callback is the stronger rule because a scammer may know personal details.
Report the attempt even when you did not lose money
A report can help investigators connect phone numbers, websites, payment instructions, and repeated scripts. Report the attempt at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If money was sent or account information was shared, move immediately to the scam-response and identity-theft steps rather than waiting to see what happens.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Where this guidance comes from
Rule-sensitive guides prioritize government and other primary sources. Links open the official source in a new tab.
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