FBI warns of billions in losses from fake police impersonation scams
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reports that scammers impersonating law enforcement officials stole approximately $1.6 billion between January 2025 and July 2026.
Scale of the reported fraud
The agency received nearly 61,000 complaints regarding these impersonation tactics during that period. Victims lost an average of $26,000 per incident according to the data provided.
Targeted groups and threats
Scammers frequently contacted foreign nationals and immigrants with threats to cancel visas or passports. Unsolicited phone calls and video calls served as the primary methods for contacting victims.
Distribution of financial losses
Ten percent of all money lost came from a single scam operation. That specific operation targeted fewer than three percent of the total victims involved in the complaints.
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