FBI: Fake Cop and Government Impersonation Scams Cost Victims $1.6B

From January 2025 to July 2026, IC3 received about 61,000 complaints about scammers impersonating police and government officials, with average losses over $26,000 per complaint. The most profitable variant involved video calls with fake uniforms and government backdrops: 1,809 complaints and over $140 million in losses.

• 61,000 IC3 complaints from Jan 2025 to Jul 2026, losses over $1.6B
• Average loss per complaint exceeded $26,000
• Video call scheme with fake uniforms: 1,809 complaints, $140M losses
• Scammers demand payment to drop supposedly filed charges