FBI Warns of Fake Agents, Prosecutors Demanding Money in Scam

Fraudsters impersonating law enforcement to steal from victims nationwide

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:47pm

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The FBI is warning citizens about a scam where criminals are impersonating federal prosecutors and law enforcement agents to steal money by claiming the victims are involved in fraud investigations. The scammers contact people through phone calls, text messages, and emails, posing as agents or prosecutors and demanding personal information and money.

Why it matters

This scam preys on people's fear of being involved in a criminal investigation, and the scammers are exploiting the public's trust in law enforcement to steal money. The FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office are working to raise awareness and prevent more people from falling victim to this fraud.

The details

According to the FBI, the scammers are potentially operating from outside the United States and are contacting Americans nationwide. The fraudsters claim the person is either a victim of fraud or a suspect in a fraud investigation, and they demand the victim provide personal information, credit card numbers, prepaid cards, or money. Federal authorities do not contact citizens in this manner, and no one from the U.S. Attorney's Office will make such demands.

  • The FBI issued the warning on January 27, 2026.

The players

FBI Atlanta

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Atlanta field office is leading the investigation into this scam and issuing the public warning.

William R. "Will" Keyes

The U.S. Attorney for the district is cautioning the public about the scammers exploiting people's trust in law enforcement.

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What they’re saying

“These fraudsters are capitalizing on fear and intimidation because nobody wants to be the victim of a crime or the subject of a law enforcement investigation.”

— Peter Ellis, FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge (WTOC)

“Fraudsters will go to great lengths to steal money from people who, in this case, believe they are dutifully complying with lawful requests by law enforcement or prosecutors.”

— William R. "Will" Keyes, U.S. Attorney (WTOC)

What’s next

The FBI is urging anyone who believes they have been targeted by this scam to file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov, providing a description of the caller and any available caller ID information.

The takeaway

This scam highlights the importance of verifying the legitimacy of any calls, emails, or messages claiming to be from law enforcement or government officials before providing any personal or financial information. Citizens should be wary of unsolicited demands for money or sensitive data, even if the request appears to be from an official source.