Impersonators pretend to be someone you trust, like a government agency, a friend or family member, a charity, or a company you do business with. They seem convincing, and pressure you to send money before you have time to think.
Scammers say there’s a problem or a prize to get you to send them money or personal information. They might lie and say you’re in trouble with the government or there’s a problem with one of your accounts and you need to verify some information. Others will lie and say you’ve won money through a government grant or in a lottery or sweepstakes — but you have to pay a fee to get it.
Scammers tell you how to pay. Scammers demand payment through a payment app or with cryptocurrency, by wiring money through a company like MoneyGram or Western Union, or by buying a gift card and then giving them the numbers. Some will send you a check (that will later turn out to be fake), then tell you to deposit it and send them money.
Scammers sometimes use information from social networking sites to convince you they know about you. They might even hack into a loved one’s email account to seem like it’s really the person you know reaching out.
Scammers might clone your loved one’s voice and tell you about a fake emergency, saying they need money now. All they need is a short audio clip of your family member's voice — which they could get from content posted online — and a voice-cloning program. When the scammer calls you, he’ll sound just like your loved one. To avoid this scam, don’t trust the voice. Get off the phone and call the person who supposedly contacted you and verify the story — but use a phone number you know is theirs. Or try to get in touch with them through another family member or their friends. If you’re not comfortable hanging up, try asking the caller a question only the real person would know the answer to. For instance, “what’s the name of your dog?”
Scammers contact servicemembers and military families pretending to be from USAA Bank, Navy Federal Credit Union, and other banks asking for your Social Security, bank account, or credit or debit card number, or your password. In a banking scam, the person says your debit card has been blocked, they’ve detected fraudulent activity, or some other urgent excuse. Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers fake the number they call from.
Scammers may call, text, or email and claim to be from DFAS and ask you to verify banking myPay information — but that’s a scam. DFAS won’t call, email, or text you demanding money or personal information. If you’re concerned there’s a real issue with your account, contact DFAS directly using a website or phone number you know is real.
Scammers make fake dating profiles, sometimes using photos of other people — even stolen pictures of real military personnel. They build relationships — sometimes even fake wedding plans — before asking for cash and disappearing with your money. Don’t send money or give out account information. Do a reverse image search of the person’s profile picture. Is it associated with another name or with details that don’t match up? Those are signs of a scam.
Scammers can be convincing. If you paid someone you think is a scammer or gave them your personal information or access to your computer or phone, here’s what to do next. And if you experience a scam — or even spot one, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
