It's not every day you get a phone call from a government agency, which is why the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a new warning regarding a scam being used to swindle thousands of dollars out of unsuspecting Americans

As reported by BleepingComputer, scammers have been impersonating the FTC over the phone for the past five years, with the median loss per call rising from $3,000 in 2019 to $7,000 by 2024

Last year, for example, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received more than 14,000 complaints of fraudsters impersonating government employees Together, they resulted in more than $394 million in losses, a 63% increase over similar scams the previous year

Here is all the information you need to know about scam phone calls impersonating the FTC and other government agencies, plus tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of such calls yourself

As with phishing emails, the caller may be impersonating a government official Similarly, it is just as easy for cybercriminals to use a spoofed e-mail address to make the call appear to originate from a government-controlled phone line

However, one of the reasons recent FTC scam calls have been so successful is that the scammers impersonate actual government employees This way, even if you look up their full name online during the call, you can still find the profile of a real government employee This way, legitimacy is added to the scam call, making it easier for unsuspecting Americans to become victims

One such scammer tricks the victim into believing they are an actual FTC employee and forces them to wire money to protect them In a press release, the FTC noted that they "never force consumers to go to a Bitcoin ATM, tell them to go buy gold bars, or demand that they withdraw cash and give it directly to someone else"

The FTC went a step further, stating that they "never demand money from consumers, arrest or We will never contact you to threaten deportation or promise a bounty"

If someone claiming to be from the FTC makes these demands or threats, no matter how convincing they may sound over the phone, they are definitely a scammer, not an actual government agent

The first and most important thing to do if you have even the slightest suspicion that you are interacting with a scammer, whether on the phone or online, is to remain calm Both scammers and cybercriminals will try to instill a sense of urgency to get you on board with their ploy

If you keep your composure and do not let your emotions get in the way, you will not fall for a scam and will be able to tell when a scam is a scam Whatever information the scammer presents, it is important to remember that government agencies and their employees are rarely contacted by phone This should be kept in mind as tax season is just around the corner and IRS scams are likely already active

As for online scams, avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments sent by unknown senders It could lead you to a phishing site for identity theft or contain dangerous malware Also, be wary of messages from friends and family members you haven't spoken to in a while Like the "look who died" scam we reported on last year, these messages can also be used in scams

Another thing to watch out for is scammers trying to gain access to your computer This is a common technique used in tech support scams, in which cybercriminals force you to install remote access software, which is then used to steal personal data, documents, and other files from your computer

Scammers also now include phone numbers in their phishing emails in hopes that unsuspecting victims will call them This is a common sight in unpaid bill scams, for example Do not under any circumstances call a number listed on an invoice or email for goods or services that you did not personally purchase

Despite the best efforts of the FTC, FBI, and other government agencies, scammers are not going to stop scamming people anytime soon because they continue to make a lot of money by scamming people That is why we need to remain level-headed and proactive when dealing with phone calls, e-mails, texts, and messages from people we don't know, and even those from people we do know The other party may be a scammer