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Do you know how to spot a government imposter?
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) joins the Elder Justice Coordinating Council and other government agencies and organizations across the country on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to spread the word about government and business imposter scams. You answered the call to protect our country. Now VA wants to help protect you and your loved ones.
Government imposter scams are a serious problem: In 2025 alone, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 375,000 reports about government imposters, with reported losses of $917 million. These criminals pose as officials from various government agencies including VA.
These imposter scammers lie and pretend to be someone they’re not. Their goal is to trick you into giving them money, access to your financial accounts, or your personal information. They make up complicated stories about so-called emergencies, so you’ll panic and act quickly before you have time to think about what to do or talk to someone you trust.
One common scam starts with an unexpected call from someone who says they’re from a well-known business, saying there’s suspicious activity on your account.
To “help” you, they transfer you to someone who says they’re from the government. This so-called helper, who claims to be from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the FTC, or some other law enforcement agency, urges you to move your money to “protect it” — maybe by transferring it to an account they give you, depositing it in a “government account” or crypto ATM for “safekeeping,” or getting cash or gold and giving it to a courier. But this is all a lie. No one from the government will ever ask you to do these things. Only scammers will pressure you to transfer funds.
Other lies might involve a “suspended Social Security number” or supposed eligibility for government benefits. In all cases, that scammer will attempt to convince you they’re with the government, perhaps even using fake caller ID or official-looking letters. The agency name might be real or made up (but real-sounding), and some scammers may show you an employee ID or badge — all to seem more real. But they are not legitimate government representatives.
To recognize and avoid a government imposter, keep these things in mind:
- Never ever will someone from the government say: “Your money isn’t safe. Move it to protect it.” Only a scammer will.
- Never ever will someone from the government threaten to suspend your government benefits if you don’t pay immediately. Only a scammer will.
- Never ever will someone from the government demand that you pay with a payment app, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or gift cards.
Talk to someone you trust if you’re worried about a problem with your account or identity — especially if the stranger says they’re from the government or the situation is serious or involves a crime. Visit ejcc.acl.gov/imposters for more on imposter scams. VA is committed to protecting the hard-earned benefits and financial safety of all Veterans.
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Contact VA: If you miss a VA benefits payment, identify a discrepancy in payments, or find suspicious activity with your direct deposit account, contact VA immediately at 1-800-827-1000.
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Contact VSAFE: Veterans or survivors who suspect they have experienced fraud should seek additional information and report the incident to the appropriate agency at VSAFE.gov or by calling 833-38V-SAFE (87233).
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