Government Official Impersonation Scam

What is a government official impersonation scam?

Government official impersonation scams have become notorious worldwide. Scammers try to trick people into believing they have been contacted by the government, often citing reasons such as required KYC updates, fabricated income tax refunds, or compromised bank accounts. They pressure unsuspecting citizens into disclosing their personal information, ultimately robbing them of their hard-earned money. Countries like India, USA, Canada, Singapore, UK, and Australia are now educating their citizens to look out for signs of government official impersonation scams.

How to identify government impersonation scams?

Fake government calls and messages:

Unexpected calls, emails or messages from unknown numbers pretending to be government officials. Rarely a government official will personally call you about an issue.

Threats and urgency:

Cyber criminals’ ultimate objective is to make you nervous enough that you reveal sensitive information. They achieve this by threatening legal action, fines, or account suspension for non-compliance.

Requests for personal or financial information:

No government official will ever persuade you to reveal personal information like your passwords, PINs, or OTPs over phone calls.

Unusual payment requests:

Government employee impersonators often demand for payments via cryptocurrency, wire transfers, gift cards, or prepaid debit cards, methods that legitimate government agencies do not use.

Fake emails and caller IDs:

Pay close attention to the email ID that appears to be from an official source. Government agencies do not use free or common domains like government@gmail.com, officialdept@yahoo.com, or taxoffice@outlook.com. Always verify the domain (example - @gmail.com is the domain here) before responding.

Spell and grammatical errors:

Emails and messages sent by scammers often contain multiple spelling errors and poorly constructed sentences. Additionally, carefully examine government seals used in the documents — if they are fake, you may notice inconsistencies or mistakes.

Requests to download files:

Be cautious if someone insists you download files or install an app. There's a high probability that these could be fake and infected with malware. If you find something suspicious, reach out to officials through trusted and verified channels.

Unbelievable offers:

Be cautious of messages or emails claiming government refunds, grants, or benefits. Always verify such claims by contacting the relevant officials through proper channels.

What to do if you fall victim to a government impersonation scam?

If you have unfortunately become a victim of a government impersonation scam, you should take the following steps:

Contact your bank: It is of utmost importance that you contact your bank immediately. There are higher chances of recovering the money if you act quickly or at least it would prevent further loss.
Stop all communication with the scammer: Do not speak or text with the scammer. More often than not, they will demand more money to release your funds or trick you into revealing additional information.
Change ID passwords and PINs: If you have shared your ID, PINs, or passwords with the scammer, change them immediately.
Document the entire account - Document everything, from the initial text or call to the moment you realize you have been scammed. Try to write down the entire ordeal so that it is easier for the authorities to assist you.
Install Truecaller: The Truecaller app not only identifies scam numbers but can also block them. Legitimate businesses and organizations are verified on Truecaller, which adds an extra layer of protection. Also, with the new AI call screening feature, if a call feels suspicious, you can start AI call screening and Truecaller will tell you whether it's AI-generated or not.