What is an imposter?
An imposter is a person who pretends to be someone else. Imposters may pretend to be someone you know, like:
- a family member
- a friend
- a person you feel like you know but have not met in person
Imposters may pretend to be working for the government – maybe the IRS. Imposters may pretend to be from a company you trust, like:
- a company you do business with – maybe your electric company
- a company that can fix your computer
- a company that gives out prizes
- a charity that asks for donations
What are imposter scams?
Imposters are dishonest people who want to steal your money or get your personal information. They might call you on the phone or send an email or text.
Imposters might say:
- they are calling from a tech support company about a problem on your computer
- you owe money to the IRS or another government agency
- you just won a prize but you have to pay fees to get the prize
- a friend is in trouble and needs your help
- you got a check for too much money and you need to send back the extra
Imposters might try to get you to pay them by asking you to buy a gift card or wire money. People who say you have to pay that way are always scammers trying to steal your money. Never send money to people you don’t know – or when you are not sure if they are who they say they are.
What is a gift card?
A gift card lets you give someone money to spend in a store. You can buy gift cards at many stores – like Walmart or Target or CVS. You can also get them from an online store – like iTunes or Google Play or Amazon.
When you buy the card, you decide how much money to put on it. The card will have a store’s name on it. The store could be one you visit in person or online.
Someone can use the card to buy things at that store. Someone can use the card just by having the numbers that are on the back of the card.
Gift cards are like cash. If you buy a gift card and someone uses it, you cannot get your money back. Gift cards are for gifts, not payments.
What is wiring money?
When you wire money, you are sending cash to someone far away. This is also called a money transfer. Many people wire money to family or friends in other cities or countries.
Wiring money is like sending cash. When you wire money, you cannot get the money back.
How Do Imposter Scams Work?
In an imposter scam, a dishonest person lies and tricks you into sending money to them. They might call you on the phone or send an email or text. Imposters might try to get you to pay them by asking you to buy a gift card or wire money.
They might say:
- they are calling from a tech support company about a problem on your computer
- you owe money to the IRS or another government agency
- you just won a prize but you have to fees to get the prize
- a friend is in trouble and needs your help
- you got a check for too much money and you need to send back the extra
These are all tricks. If you pay with a gift card or wire money, the scammer will keep it. You will not get your money back.
Paying by gift card or wiring money is like sending cash. When you pay by gift card or wire money, you cannot get the money back.