Suplantación de agencias de gobierno (IRS/SSA): cómo funciona, señales y qué hacer

Social engineering · alto

In the US, the scammer claims to be from the IRS, the Social Security Administration (SSA), immigration, a court or a police agency. They say you owe back taxes, that your Social Security number was "used in a crime" or that there is a warrant for your arrest, and that you must pay now.

Payment is demanded in unusual ways: gift cards, crypto through a bitcoin ATM, wire transfer or handing cash to a "courier". In Brazil, the equivalent involves fake officials from the Federal Revenue, INSS, Detran or courts, with fake "regularization" links.

The FBI IC3 received 32,424 government impersonation complaints in 2025, with US$ 797.9 million in losses, nearly double the 2024 complaint count.

Sinais / Signs

Threats of arrest, deportation or immediate account freeze
Payment demanded in gift cards, crypto, bitcoin ATM or cash
Being told to stay on the line and tell no one
Caller ID showing an agency name or number
Text or WhatsApp links to "resolve" issues

Prevenção / Prevention

The IRS and SSA usually contact you by mail and do not demand immediate payment by phone
No government agency accepts gift cards or crypto as payment
Hang up and call the agency's official number
In Brazil, check pending issues only on gov.br portals
Talk to someone you trust before paying

O que fazer / What to do

Stop contact and make no further payments
If you paid with gift cards, call the issuer with the card numbers and keep the receipt
Report to the FTC and IC3; if you gave out your SSN, use IdentityTheft.gov
In Brazil, notify your bank and file a police report

FAQ

Can the IRS call me?

In specific cases it may, but usually after letters, and never demanding immediate payment by unusual means or threatening arrest.

The number on screen was the agency's. Doesn't that prove it is real?

No. Caller ID can easily be spoofed.

FTC - ReportFraud · FBI IC3 - Internet Crime Complaint Center · FTC - IdentityTheft.gov · FBI IC3 2025 Internet Crime Report (PDF) · Consumidor.gov.br