In one sentence: An impersonation scam is when a scammer pretends to be someone you trust, such as a company, a government office or a family member, to get money or information.
Why it matters: In the US, this is called an imposter scam. Scammers may fake caller ID, give a badge or employee number, or send official-looking letters. Anyone who tells you to move your money to “protect” it is a scammer.
One thing to do: Do not use contact details from an unexpected message. Look up the real number yourself and call it.
Related terms: social engineering, vishing, deepfake
Checked: 25 Oct 2026.
