Published on April 20, 2026 at 3:23 pm
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The FBI Jacksonville Field Office is warning the public about a growing scheme in which scammers impersonate law enforcement and government officials — including FBI special agents — in attempts to extort money or steal personal information.
The FBI says residents across North Florida have recently been targeted through text messages, though similar scams also reach people via email and phone calls.
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According to the 2025 Internet Crime Complaint Center annual report, government impersonation scam complaints nearly doubled from the previous year, with losses totaling nearly $800 million.
How the scams work
On the phone, scammers often spoof caller ID information, making fraudulent calls appear to come from a legitimate agency — or even from a personal bank. Anyone who receives one of these calls should hang up immediately and report it to law enforcement.
Fraudulent emails and texts may look convincing by using images of the FBI director, FBI credentials, or the FBI seal and official letterhead. Warning signs in emails include misspellings, missing words and incorrect grammar. In texts and phone calls, scammers often try to create a sense of urgency, pressuring recipients to act quickly without thinking.
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Law enforcement will never call or email someone threatening arrest or demanding money.
How to protect yourself
The FBI offers several tips to avoid becoming a victim:
- Be cautious about answering calls from unrecognized numbers.
- Never send money to anyone you do not personally know and trust.
- Never share personal information — including a Social Security number — over the phone or with unknown individuals.
The FBI also clarifies what it will never do:
- Call or email private citizens to demand payment or threaten arrest — and residents will never be asked to wire a “settlement” to avoid arrest.
- Ask someone to use their own money to help catch a criminal.
- Request money via wire transfer to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency or gift or prepaid cards.
What to do if you’re a victim
Anyone who believes they have fallen victim to a government impersonation scam should take the following steps immediately:
- Preserve all records, including prepaid cards, banking records, and any phone, text or email communications.
- Stop all contact with the scammers.
- Notify financial institutions and secure any financial accounts.
- Contact local law enforcement and file a police report.
- File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.
