FBI warns of scam spoofing its number and pushing encrypted apps

The FBI Boston Division warned on August 19, 2026, about a government-impersonation scam that spoofs the agency’s phone number and pressures targets to move the conversation to an encrypted messaging application.

The scheme is designed to make a false investigation sound official. The warning covers Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, but the tactics can affect people anywhere in the United States.

How the scam unfolds

The call may begin with someone pretending to represent a financial institution. The caller claims the target’s identity was used to open an account connected to an illegal firearms purchase. That allegation is a scammer’s false claim, not evidence that the person actually opened such an account.

The supposed financial-institution representative then transfers the target to someone posing as an FBI special agent. During the conversation, the call may be disconnected while the number is supposedly verified. The target then receives a return call that appears to come from the FBI Boston Division’s main number, 857-386-2000.

The FBI says scammers may provide fabricated names and badge numbers, demand confidentiality and direct targets to an encrypted messaging application. They may tell the person not to discuss the matter with anyone, increasing pressure and making it harder for family members, bank employees or law enforcement to identify the fraud.

Why caller ID is not proof

Caller ID can be spoofed. A call displaying a real FBI number may still come from a scammer. The FBI says 857-386-2000 can be used to verify whether an actual FBI employee contacted someone, but the number should be found independently and should not be treated as proof that an incoming call is legitimate.

The agency’s basic rule is clear: It will not call or email private citizens to demand payment, threaten arrest, request personal or sensitive information, or ask them to communicate through an encrypted application.

The FBI also says it will not direct people to pay with prepaid cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency, ask them to liquidate assets or buy precious metals, or tell them to use their own money to help catch a criminal.

An unexpected call asking for a Social Security number, password, one-time verification code, banking information or money should be treated as unverified, even when the caller uses real agency names or official-sounding details. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau identifies impersonation, urgency, requests for financial information and unusual payment methods as common warning signs of fraud.

The national scale of impersonation fraud

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center data show 32,424 government-impersonation complaints and $797,943,193 in reported losses nationwide in 2025. In the Boston Division’s four-state region, the FBI recorded 1,092 complaints and $28,895,404 in reported losses.

Those figures reflect reports made to IC3 and are not a complete count of all incidents. Fraud is often underreported, and reported losses do not mean every complaint was independently verified as a completed loss.

What to do during the call

Hang up. Do not continue a caller-directed transfer or move to a private messaging application.
Do not provide personal, banking or account information.
Do not click links, download software or open files sent by the caller.
Find the bank, agency or police department’s phone number independently through an official website or statement.
Call the financial institution directly if the caller claimed there was a problem with an account.

Families and caregivers can help older adults by agreeing on a simple pause-and-verify rule for urgent calls involving law enforcement, fraud or arrest threats.

If information or money was shared

Contact the financial institution immediately and ask what steps are needed to protect the account. Change exposed passwords, secure email and financial accounts, and contact the relevant providers about unauthorized transactions or account access.

Save phone numbers, messages, screenshots, emails, payment records and any names or badge numbers used by the caller. Contact local law enforcement and file a report with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, or IC3.

The FBI’s July 20, 2026, advisory on scammers impersonating IC3 describes related schemes using spoofed websites, social media, AI-generated videos and private messaging. The common warning sign is not the technology itself; it is the demand for secrecy, urgency, money or sensitive information before the target can verify the claim through an official channel.

Sources

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