Scammers play into confusion over tariffs, immigration, drug trafficking

USA Today

5 days ago

More than likely, you've never been to Mexico. And you never expected to receive a shipment of drugs from there or anywhere else. No matter, a crook is bound to try to convince you otherwise.
Scammers who claim to be an agent from U.S. Customs and Border Protection are dialing for data and dollars. The caller often asks if you're expecting a package from Mexico — and then will claim that U.S. Customs has intercepted your drug-filled package at the border.
Best bet: Hang up.
As might be expected, all sorts of scams that impersonate government officials continue to be making the rounds. The crooks know we're hearing plenty about immigration, drug trafficking, tariffs, Medicare and more. And they've never been at a loss for ways to push our buttons.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection warns that crooks who claim to be employees of the agency tell potential victims that a warrant is out for their arrest or that "a box of drugs and money being shipped has your name on it and has been intercepted."
If you stay on the line about that so-called package delay, according to an alert from the Federal Trade Commission, the odds are high that the caller impersonating Customs and Border Protection is going to demand that you pay using cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers, or tell you to give them your banking account or Social Security number.
Don't trust caller ID. Remember, the crooks can make their phone numbers look real even if they're not.
Scammers impersonate Social Security, FTC officials
From January through April, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 75,000 reports of government imposter scams.
The scammers most frequently reached out to potential victims by phone and asked for payment on gift cards. But scammers also text and ask for cryptocurrency and cash, too.
The median loss for all government impersonation scams was $650, according to FTC data. In all, nearly $204 million was reported lost from January through April.
Among those reports, according to the FTC, Customs and Board Protection impostors ranked as the fourth most common with 3,466 reports in the first four months of 2025.
The median loss to Customs and Border Protection imposters, according to the FTC, was $1,000. Consumers reported losing $1.62 million to customs scams from January through April.
The most common government impersonation scam so far this year involves scammers who pretend to be toll road operators, according to the FTC. The FTC received 26,811 reports about toll road scams this year through April.
The median loss reported involving toll road scams was $7 but, in many cases, the con artists who get their hands on your credit card number later will use your account for future purchases.
Scammers impersonating Social Security rank No. 2 on the list; scammers impersonating the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as Medicare, rank No. 3. And ranking No. 5: the Federal Trade Commission.
The median loss involving fraud that starts out with someone impersonating the FTC was $12,000. It's absolutely horrifying to lose that kind of cash — and sometimes crooks convince you that you need to act now to "protect" your savings.
They say they need you to transfer the money to protect it
Many times, fraudsters impersonating government officials tell consumers that they need to protect their money in their bank accounts from hackers by transferring it to a cryptocurrency account, which unfortunately ends up in the hands of scammers. Or they will tell the victim to buy gold, and a driver will pick it up from their homes.
The FTC notes online that the agency "will never threaten you, say you must transfer your money to 'protect it,' or tell you to withdraw cash or buy gold and give it to someone. That's a scam."
Typically, scammers who pose as government officials will try to use high pressure tactics to frighten you into quickly doing something you'll later regret.
Do not send money, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or hand over gold or financial information to callers who say they are with the government, according to an FTC warning. Never take your money out of a savings account and move it somewhere to "protect it."
Some big red flags: Crooks will ask you to provide banking information, your Social Security number and your date of birth. Never give into demands to withdraw money in your accounts and take cash to a local crypto ATM.
How tariff news fuels some scams
The Better Business Bureau warned earlier this summer that some scammers are using fake excuses involving delays caused by tariffs to cover up fraudulent online orders. Consumers are being told that they've not received their item yet because the package is "stuck in customs" due to tariffs.
"In some cases," according to the BBB alert, "the company says you now owe additional money to release the package. Other times, they provide a tracking number showing the item was delivered — but to a completely different state."
Yep, they want you to pay more after placing an order. It's a scam.
You can report an incident to your local police department and the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you would still like to talk to someone from Customs and Border Protection, call the information center at 877-227-5511.
Crooks threaten deportation or offer immigration help
The AARP Fraud Watch Network has heard plenty of complaints about government impersonation scams this summer, including crooks impersonating the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
One woman received an unexpected call, supposedly from the Federal Trade Commission, to tell her that a package was stopped at the border and she'd need to pay money to receive it, according to AARP's Amy Nofziger.
In another case, Nofziger said, an online shopper ordered decorations made of walnut shells but kept being told the box was rejected at customs. The woman's debit card was charged $31.72 and then $141.31, and then $89.95 for this order. She realized it had to be a scam from the start.
Another caller reported an extortion scam where impersonators are threatening her with deportation because she is not a documented citizen, Nofziger said. The con artists aren't even in the United States. But they are threatening that if she doesn't pay the $5,000 that she supposedly owes that they will go after her nephew who is a soldier and other family members until she pays. Not surprisingly, the woman being targeted by the scams was extremely frightened.
Another consumer was sent a package that included a $385 cost for renewing her green card, known as a permanent resident card. She gave her credit card and a copy of the front and back of her green card. She then found out it was a scam.
Another caller, a case worker, was assisting two separate individuals who were defrauded by con artists impersonating immigration attorneys via Facebook and WhatsApp. The individuals paid $13,400 and $36,000 to the scammers for their immigration cases.
"Turns out the scammers were not attorneys," Nofziger said, "and they lost their money."
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services warns online that some businesses and websites pretend to be immigration experts or say they have special connections to the government. "They might also 'guarantee' that you can get a visa, Green Card, or work permit faster if you pay a fee," according to the agency. But it's a scam.
Elaborate immigration scams, according to an alert from the Federal Trade Commission, can start with someone impersonating attorneys and law firms, offering immigration services through posts on Facebook and other platforms.
The service reportedly offers to help you with immigration paperwork. The consumer is often then asked to send money using Western Union or Zelle.
In return, the con artists claim they'll supposedly get you an appointment with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or USCIS.
"People who paid report having virtual appointments on Zoom or WhatsApp with a 'USCIS officer' in uniform — all part of the scam," according to an FTC alert issued in December 2024.
"The truth? Some immigration proceedings are now virtual, but applicants get their appointments by mail or through their 'myUSCIS' account, never on messenger apps," according to the FTC.
Nofziger, who is director of victim support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network, said government impersonation scams have been ongoing for years. Often, the scammers will frighten someone into thinking that they must act quickly or suffer some serious consequences. The AARP network's phone number is 877-908-3360 to get help spotting a scam.
In some of these scams involving a package stopped at customs, Nofziger said, the con artists will claim that the package contained drugs, guns or pornography. The message is that you'd have to pay immediately to avoid being arrested.
"There's fear around being stopped at the border at U.S. Customs," Nofziger said.
News headlines are filled with stories associated with the federal government crackdown on immigration, as well as efforts by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to seize cocaine and ketamine shipments.
Con artists re-activate their scams based on what's trending in the news or what's creating confusion for consumers. Why else would seniors receive endless recorded phone calls on Medicare?
Nofziger said it's important for consumers to do more research on some of these complex areas, including going to websites like USA.gov, to learn about U.S. residency and citizenship requirements and other issues. Medicare.gov also offers warnings about scams, too.
"No legitimate lawyer or notary is going to be asking for payment in cryptocurrency via a bitcoin machine. They're not going to be asking for payment via a peer-to-peer app. They're not going to be using scary language," Nofziger said.
"I would not seek an attorney off social media."
Wise words — the scammers, unfortunately, know how to exploit us.
Contact personal finance columnist Susan Tompor: [e-mail]. Follow her on X @tompor.