The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report on Thursday highlighting its efforts to combat identity theft scams. The agency revealed that it has successfully shut down 19 websites impersonating the FTC by notifying domain registrars, leading to their removal from the internet.
The commission announced that it has executed 14 enforcement actions, resulting in over $80 million in compensation for affected consumers to date.
Among the fraudulent domains taken down were those crafted to mislead unsuspecting visitors, including fttc.us, FTC-Support.org, ftcfederal.org, FTC-Complaints.org, FTC-help.com, federaltradecommissionapp.com, and reportfraudftcgov.netlify.app. Some of these sites utilized uncommon domain extensions such as .gold, .online, or .co to mimic the appearance of an official site.
Christopher Mufarrige, head of the FTC's Consumer Protection Bureau, emphasized that identity theft scams have been the most frequently reported type of fraud for years in the United States.
"For several years, impersonation scams have topped the list of reported frauds, resulting in billions of dollars in losses," he noted. "If you're pretending to be, or are affiliated with, a legitimate entity to deceive consumers, expect us to take action."
In 2025 alone, individuals reported losses amounting to $3.5 billion due to such fraudulent activities. The elderly population is especially at risk, with those aged 60 and above losing approximately $3 billion that year, significantly more than the $600 million reported in 2020.
Florida saw 1,579 cases of federal agent impersonation in 2024, with losses exceeding $12 million.
An especially deceitful tactic, documented in June 2026, involves fraudsters reaching out via text or WhatsApp, posing as FTC employees or "agents." They send fake ID photos to "verify" their identity, then request money or financial information under the guise of assisting with recovering funds from a previous scam.
Violating the Impersonation Rule can result in civil penalties of up to $53,088 per infraction in the U.S.
Recognizing and Preventing Identity Theft Scams
To help recognize these fraudulent activities, the FTC outlines three clear indicators:
- An authentic FTC employee will never reach out via text message or messaging apps.
- They will never send a photo of their ID to "prove" their identity.
- They will never request money or financial information in exchange for assistance in recovering losses.
Broadly speaking, the FTC reminds consumers that the agency "never demands payment, issues threats, asks for money transfers, or promises rewards." Any communication including such requests is a clear sign of fraud.
If there's any uncertainty about the legitimacy of a contact, the FTC advises visiting ftc.gov directly by typing the URL into your browser and reporting potential scams at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions about FTC Impersonation Scams
How can I verify if a contact is genuinely from the FTC?
Authentic FTC communications will never come via text or messaging apps. Visit ftc.gov directly and avoid links in unexpected messages to verify contacts.
What should I do if I suspect a fraudulent FTC website?
Report the suspicious site to reportfraud.ftc.gov and avoid providing any personal information or clicking on any links.
Who is most at risk from identity theft scams?
Older adults, particularly those over 60, are most vulnerable, having lost significant amounts to these scams in recent years.