Government & Authority Impersonation Scams
Government impersonation scams involve criminals pretending to be law enforcement, tax officials, or other authority figures. They claim the victim is involved in a criminal investigation or owes unpaid taxes, creating fear to pressure immediate payments.
일반적인 수법
- • Phone calls from spoofed government numbers claiming to be the IRS, Social Security Administration, or local police department
- • Threatening immediate arrest, deportation, or legal action if the victim does not comply with payment demands right away
- • "Digital arrest" scams where the victim is placed on a video call with a fake officer in uniform who orders them to stay on camera and not contact anyone while arranging payment
- • Sending fake official documents — arrest warrants, court summons, tax notices — via email or messaging apps with forged letterheads and case numbers
- • Claiming the victim's identity has been used in money laundering or drug trafficking and demanding they transfer funds to a "safe government account" for investigation
- • Using caller ID spoofing so the incoming call appears to come from a real government agency phone number, complete with an automated menu system
식별 방법
- Government agencies never demand immediate payment over the phone or threaten arrest during a call — real legal processes involve official written notices sent by mail
- No legitimate law enforcement agency will ask you to pay fines via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency
- Real police and government officials will never conduct a "digital arrest" over video call or demand that you stay on camera
- The caller creates extreme urgency and forbids you from telling anyone or hanging up — legitimate authorities allow you time to consult a lawyer
- The caller refuses to provide a case number that you can independently verify by calling the agency's publicly listed phone number
- Emails from government agencies arrive from .gov domains — not Gmail, Yahoo, or other free email services
자신을 보호하는 방법
- Hang up immediately if someone calls claiming to be from the IRS, police, or SSA and demands payment — then call the agency directly using the number on their official website
- Never share your Social Security number, bank details, or personal information with an unsolicited caller, regardless of who they claim to be
- Remember that the IRS always sends official notices by postal mail first and will never demand immediate payment by phone
- If threatened with arrest, do not panic — real arrest warrants are served in person by officers, not communicated over phone or video calls
- Tell elderly and immigrant family members about these scams, as they are disproportionately targeted due to fear of authority and unfamiliarity with local government procedures
- Report government impersonation calls to the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) and the actual agency being impersonated
실제 사례
In the United States, a phone call from a spoofed IRS number claimed the victim owed $8,000 in back taxes and would be arrested within the hour unless they purchased Target gift cards and read the codes to the agent over the phone.
In India, a "digital arrest" scam went viral — victims received video calls from people in police uniforms posing as CBI or customs officers, claiming their Aadhaar had been used in money laundering, and were ordered to stay on camera for hours while transferring lakhs of rupees to a "government escrow account."
In Australia, scammers impersonated the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) via robocalls, threatening arrest and deportation of visa holders unless they immediately paid a fabricated tax debt using iTunes gift cards purchased from local stores.
In South Korea, voice phishing ("boイスing") calls impersonating the National Police Agency or financial regulators told victims their bank accounts were linked to criminal activity — victims were pressured to transfer savings in Korean won to a "safe account" while scammers spoofed official 112 police phone numbers.
In the UK, emails with fake HMCTS (Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service) summons attached as PDFs demanded recipients appear in court or pay a £1,200 settlement fee via bank transfer — the documents included forged case numbers and judicial signatures.
In Singapore, scammers posing as officers from the Ministry of Manpower or the Singapore Police Force called foreign workers, claiming their work permits were linked to illegal activity and demanding immediate payment via PayNow or bank transfer to avoid arrest and deportation.