The FTC received more than 1 million reports about imposter scams in 2025. Imposter scams occur when a fraudster pretends to be someone you trust – tech support, a government official, a well-known business, and even a romantic new friend. You can avoid all these scams by recognizing the common signs.
* Scammers pretend to be someone you know or trust.
* Scammers say there’s a problem or a prize.
* Scammers pressure you to act immediately.
* Scammers tell you to pay in a specific way. If you have been a victim of a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at ic3.gov.
