Impersonation fraud occurs when scammers pretend to be someone you trust. They may claim to be from your bank, the police, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), your doctor's office, the United States Postal Service (USPS), or delivery companies like FedEx or UPS, or even your phone or internet provider.

These scams often start with cold calls, text messages, or phishing emails. For example, you might receive a USPS phishing email or a bank fraud text claiming suspicious activity. Scammers may already know your name, phone number, or email address (often due to data breaches), which makes their schemes seem more convincing.

Depending on the scam, their tactics vary. They may:

Pretend to be your bank and ask you to transfer money to a "safe account" (sometimes via fake bank text messages)

Claim you owe the IRS back taxes, such as IRS impersonation scams or IRS phone scams

Request a small shipping fee to deliver a package, commonly seen in delivery scam texts impersonating USPS or FedEx/UPS

Once they gain your trust, their goal is always the same: to steal your money or personal information.

Common Types of Impersonation Scams

Bank Scams

Scammers may claim suspicious activity on your account and ask you to transfer funds to a "safe account." This is a complete lie — the "safe account" belongs to the fraudsters. Many victims report receiving scam texts impersonating major banks like Chase, Bank of America, Barclays, and Revolut.

Police Scams

Scammers may claim to be law enforcement, warning you that your bank branch is under investigation and advising you to move your funds. These police impersonation scams or fake police calls are very common and can be highly stressful, making it easy to fall for their lies. Police will never ask you to transfer money.

IRS Scams

This is one of the most common impersonation scams. Victims are told they owe back taxes or must send money immediately, or that they are owed a refund and need to provide payment details. Never respond without verifying directly with the IRS.

Delivery Scams

You may receive a message saying you need to pay a small fee to have a package delivered. Scammers often impersonate USPS or FedEx/UPS in these delivery scam texts or phishing emails. Once you pay, they typically use your card information to steal hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Service Provider Scams

Scammers impersonate your internet or phone provider, claiming there is a technical issue. They may ask for remote access to your device, giving them the opportunity to steal data or install malware, and gain access to your banking apps and passwords.