Release Date
04/20/2026
Jacksonville, Florida
The FBI Jacksonville Field Office is warning the public about schemes in which scammers impersonate law enforcement or government officials, including FBI special agents, in attempts to extort money or steal personally identifiable information.
Most recently across our area, FBI Jacksonville has seen the initial contact made via a text message. Similar scams try to connect with individuals via email or phone calls. According to the latest data from the 2025 Internet Crime Complaint Center annual report, complaints for government impersonation scams nearly doubled from the previous year with losses totaling nearly $800 million.
On the phone, scammers often spoof caller ID information, so fraudulent calls appear to be coming from an agency’s legitimate phone number or even from your own bank. Recipients should hang up immediately and report the call to law enforcement. Fraudulent emails and texts may give the appearance of legitimacy by using pictures of the FBI Director, FBI credentials, and/or the FBI seal and letterhead. Common hallmarks of a scam email include misspellings, missing words, and incorrect grammar. Common hallmarks of a scam text or phone call include the scammer attempting to place time constraints on your actions to induce pressure for you to act fast without thinking.
Be advised, law enforcement does not call or email individuals threatening arrest or demanding money.
To avoid becoming a victim of this scam:
Be wary of answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize.
Do not send money to anybody that you do not personally know and trust.
Never give out your personal information, including your Social Security number, over the phone or to individuals you do not know.
The FBI will never:
Call or email private citizens to demand payment or threaten arrest. You will also not be asked to wire a “settlement” to avoid arrest.
Ask you to use large sums of your own money to help catch a criminal.
Never request you send money via wire transfer to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency, or gift/prepaid cards
If you believe you are a victim of a law enforcement or government impersonation scam:
Cease all contact with the scammers immediately.
Notify your financial institutions and safeguard any financial accounts.
Contact your local law enforcement and file a police report.
File a complaint with the FBI IC3 at ic3.gov.
Be sure to keep any financial transaction information, including prepaid cards and banking records and all telephone, text, or e-mail communications.
If you think you are a victim of this or any other online scam, please file a report with your local law enforcement agency and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.