FBI Warns Kentuckians to Beware of Scammers Impersonating Law Enforcement and Government Officials

Edmonson Voice Report:
​The FBI Louisville Field Office has seen an increase in reported fraud schemes targeting Kentuckians through unsolicited phone calls in which scammers impersonate law enforcement or government officials to extort money or steal personally identifiable information.

Criminal scammers represent themselves as officials from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies across Kentucky, and contact victims using spoofed phone numbers and a variety of other tactics to appear legitimate. Currently, the most prevalent variation of this scheme seen by FBI Louisville is the scammer impersonating a local sheriff’s office. The scammers falsely accuse the victim of not reporting for jury duty or missing a court date and may claim an arrest warrant has been issued against the victim. The scammers pressure and instruct the victim to immediately pay a fine to avoid arrest or other negative consequences. To increase the perceived legitimacy of the fraud or impersonation, scammers may also use Artificial Intelligence (AI), provide official-looking court documents, or may already have personal identifiable information about the victim. In the instance of the scammer impersonating a local sheriff’s office, fraudulent federal court or federal agency documents are often used.

Government and law enforcement impersonation scams come in various forms, most commonly through phone calls and emails, and they all seek to exploit victims through intimidation. Scammers use an urgent and aggressive tone, refuse to speak to or leave a message with anyone other than their targeted victim; and urge victims not to tell anyone else, including family, friends, financial institutions, or other law enforcement departments about what is occurring. Payment is demanded in various forms, with the most prevalent being cash deposited into cryptocurrency ATMs, prepaid cards, and wire transfers.

Be advised, the FBI and legitimate law enforcement authorities will not call members of the public to demand payment or threaten arrest, nor will they request or accept payment via cryptocurrency ATMs.

In 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over 39,949 complaints regarding government impersonation scams, with victim losses exceeding $833 million nationwide. In Kentucky, 475 complaints were received through IC3 in 2025, and victim losses exceeded $3.15 million.

To avoid becoming a victim of this scam or any other online fraud scheme, the FBI urges the public to “take a beat” before acting. Resist pressure tactics and take time to asses if the situation is real. The FBI specifically encourages Kentuckians not to provide or verify personally identifiable information to someone they have only met online, over the phone, or through unsolicited contact. They also should not send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or other assets to individuals they have not met in person. Learn more about scam prevention at www.fbi.gov/takeabeat.

If you believe you are a victim of this scam, or any other online fraud scheme, timely reporting is key. Cease all contact with the scammers immediately, notify your financial institution and safeguard all financial accounts, contact your local law enforcement, and file a complaint with the IC3 at www.ic3.gov.