Someone claiming to be the government
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Pretending to be a government agency cost people of all ages about $798 million in losses reported to the FBI in 2025, nearly double the year before. That's from the FBI's 2025 internet crime report. It works because most people have never had reason to learn how these agencies actually operate.
So let's just say it plainly.
What every real agency does
| Agency | How they contact you | What they will never do |
|---|---|---|
| IRS | Letter, by mail, first | Call demanding immediate payment. Ask for gift cards. Threaten arrest by phone. Start contact by email or text to ask for your information. |
| Social Security | Letter by mail first; they may ring you if you just applied, asked for a call, or already get payments | Threaten to suspend your number. Your Social Security number cannot be suspended. The concept does not exist. |
| Medicare | Letter; they already have your info | Call you uninvited to sell you anything, whether a plan, a brace, a test kit, or a new card. |
| Police / Sheriff | In person, or a letter | Call about a warrant and take payment over the phone. No department rings you up and collects a fine that way. |
| Courts | Mailed summons | Call about missed jury duty and demand a fine in gift cards. |
| Federal Reserve | It doesn't contact individuals | Anything. The Federal Reserve does not hold accounts for people. |
| Utilities | Mailed notices, then a mailed shut-off warning | Show up in 30 minutes to disconnect unless you pay right now with prepaid cards. |
The universal rule
The federal government sends mail.
Every serious matter (taxes, benefits, warrants, court dates, fines) begins with a letter. It comes with a process, an appeal, and a paper trail. That's not bureaucracy being slow. It's the law, because you're entitled to notice and to respond.
A phone call demanding payment today, with no letter having come first, is a scam. There is no urgent government matter that skips the mail.
The scripts they use
Threat: a warrant for your arrest, a suspended Social Security number, benefits that stop today, or police on the way.
Reward: a grant you never applied for, or a refund that just needs your account number to send it.
Confusion: a caller who's just verifying your information for their records. No threat at all, just a friendly voice collecting your Social Security number, your Medicare number, and your date of birth.
That third one is underrated and effective. Nothing bad seems to be happening, so nothing triggers alarm.
What to do
- Hang up. You are allowed to hang up on someone claiming to be a federal agent. It is not a crime and it never has been.
- Do not press any number. Not even "press 2 to speak to an officer": pressing a key can lead to more calls.
- If you're worried it's real, call the agency yourself on a number you look up on your own.
- Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Numbers to look up yourself.
- Social Security: 800-772-1213.
- IRS: 800-829-1040.
- Medicare: 800-633-4227.
- Police: your local non-emergency number, which you can find on your city's website or in a phone book.
To report it, rather than just check the agency, contact the Social Security Fraud Hotline at oig.ssa.gov. The IRS's inspector general (TIGTA) can be reached at 800-366-4484.
If you gave out your Social Security number
It is not a catastrophe and you have a clear path.
Go to I gave out my Social Security number and freeze your credit. Then open a recovery plan at identitytheft.gov, and monitor. It takes about an hour and closes most of the risk.
A note on caller ID
Caller ID showing "Social Security Administration" or a real 800 number means nothing at all. Faking it takes a few dollars and no skill. See can caller ID be faked.
Hang up with a clear conscience
You are allowed to hang up on someone claiming to be a federal agent. Every real agency would tell you the same thing. Check for yourself, take your time, and never pay anyone over the phone.
Being the kind of person who checks isn't being difficult. It's exactly what these agencies wish everyone would do.
Related: Phantom Hacker · Someone's calling about my Medicare · Five signs · Will Social Security ever call me?
