The FTC says impersonation scams are the top fraud category and have led to billions in consumer losses. Since the 2024 Impersonation Rule, the agency has secured over $80 million in redress and taken down 19 fake FTC websites.
In short
- Impersonation scams are a top fraud threat.
- FTC enforcement can lead to large penalties for violators.
- Your business should warn customers and staff about fake messages.
What it means for you
- Impersonators may pretend to be a business or a government agency to deceive consumers.
- Violations can result in civil penalties up to $53,088 per violation.
The details
What's happening
- The FTC reports that scammers impersonating businesses or government agencies have caused billions in losses. Since the Impersonation Rule took effect in 2024, the agency has filed 14 enforcement actions and secured more than $80 million for consumers.
- Registrars removed 19 websites posing as the FTC after the agency sent letters citing rule violations.
How to spot it
- Look for messages that claim to be from a government agency, a bank, or a familiar business but ask for payment, personal info, or threaten legal action.
- Check URLs for subtle misspellings or unfamiliar domains (e.g., ftc‑support.org, federaltradecommission.gold).
- Verify any unexpected contact by calling the official phone number you have on file.
What to do
- Add a notice to your website and email signatures warning of impersonation scams.
- Report suspected impersonators to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Review any outbound marketing for claims of affiliation with government agencies and ensure they are accurate.
- Monitor domain registrations that resemble your business name and consider registering similar domains to protect your brand.
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