Law Enforcement Impersonators
08/06/2025
Law Enforcement Impersonators
It is natural for a person to have feelings of anxiety and pressure when they receive contact from someone claiming to be from law enforcement. That anxiety may lead to that person making snap decisions and following any directions given by the “law enforcement agent.” However, scammers know this is a natural reaction and will impersonate law enforcement officials to capitalize on it. How should you respond if someone contacts you claiming to be a law enforcement official?
What this scam looks like…
Most law enforcement impersonation scams begin with contact with the victim via phone or email. These scammers often spoof the phone numbers of your local police or sheriff’s office and use names gathered from their official websites to impersonate local officers. In emails, scammers will use pictures of official seals and letterheads to give a sense of legitimacy. They will further try to assert legitimacy by providing the victim with their personal details, such as their address. From there, the impersonator will make a claim that the victim needs to send money or personal, sensitive information to avoid arrest or other legal action for some “crime.” The crimes can be wide ranging and include, but are not limited to:
- A package sent to their address contained illegal substances and police intercepted it
- Failure to show up for jury duty
- Outstanding fines or tickets that must be paid
- Claims their identity has been used to commit a crime
- Claims their personal information has been compromised.
After convincing the victim of their legitimacy and their supposed crime, the imposters will then either ask for personal sensitive information like Social Security Number or account information for “verification purposes” or will demand payment. Scammers will usually ask victims to pay in less traceable ways like gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Some may even ask for cash drop off at a specific location in person.
Reminders
Here are some things to remember if you get a call from someone claiming to be from law enforcement.
- Law enforcement will never call or email you and threaten arrest.
- You will never be asked to pay money to have your name cleared or “settle” to avoid arrest.
- Law enforcement will never contact you for your personal information or Social Security number.
- Legitimate law enforcement officers cannot and will not accept payment for fines, bail, et cetera over the phone (or by email), and especially in the form of gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
What to Do
The first thing you should do if you receive a call from someone claiming to be from law enforcement is not to panic. Scammers intentionally use fear and anxiety to get you to act quickly without fully understanding the situation. Next, be hesitant to believe anyone claiming to be from law enforcement, even if the phone number or email looks official. Best practice is to simply hang up the phone. If you feel the phone call requires further investigation, call or head to your local police department at a known address or phone number for verification. File a police report if the call does turn out to be fraudulent. Contact your financial institution to safeguard your accounts in case the phone call is an indicator of a larger breach in your security. Lastly, file a complaint with the FBI at www.ic3.gov or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Receiving contact out of the blue from someone claiming to be law enforcement would be anxiety-inducing for anyone! However, it is important not to give in to the initial urge to do whatever they say or believe their claims. Stop, hang up, and think.
Sources:
https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/06/scammers-are-impersonating-local-law-enforcement