Business Impersonation Scams

Summary

• According to the Identity Theft Resource Center’s (ITRC) latest Trends in Identity Report, business impersonation scams were the third most reported scam to the Center in 2023 (six percent).
• Identity criminals will pose as a business and call or email and say something is wrong with the account. They’ll ask for account information and personally identifiable information (PII) to verify the victim is the account holder.
• Scammers will also set up fake social media profiles and websites. They will post ads on search engines pretending to be the legitimate company.
• The thieves will ask for your account and financial details or personal information in hopes of committing identity crimes in your name. They will also look to steal your money.
• To avoid business impersonation scams, ignore any unknown messages. Reach out to the business directly to verify the validity of the message. Report the scam to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at IC3.gov and the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov/Complaint.
• If you have additional questions about business impersonation scams or believe you were the victim of an identity crime, contact the ITRC. You can reach us toll-free by text or phone (888.400.5530) or live chat on the company website idtheftcenter.org.

Business impersonation scams, when criminals claim to be from a business you know, can target anyone. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center’s (ITRC) latest Trends in Identity Report, business impersonation scams were the third most reported scam to the Center in 2023 (six percent). Here is everything you need to know.

Who Are the Targets?

Anyone

What is the Scam?

One version of the scam is identity criminals will pose as a business and call or email and say something is wrong with the account. They’ll claim they need the account information and personally identifiable information (PII) to verify the victim is the account holder. In another twist, scammers will set up fake social media profiles and websites. They will post ads on search engines pretending to be the legitimate company. That way, when people use a search engine, they are talking to a scammer instead of the actual company.

What they Want

Scammers hope to trick you into giving up your account and financial details or personal information. They can then turn around and use your sensitive information to commit an array of identity crimes in your name. They also hope to steal your money.

How to Avoid Business Impersonation Scams

• Ignore any unknown messages. If you get a call, text, email or social media message that you are not expecting claiming to be from a business you know, ignore it. Instead, contact the business directly to verify the validity of the message. Don’t click on any links or call any phone numbers in the messages.
• Spread the word and report the scam. Let the business know that you received a scam message claiming to be them. You can report the business impersonation scam to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at IC3.gov and the Federal Trade Commission at www.FTC.gov/Complaint.

Contact the ITRC

If you have additional questions about business impersonation scams or believe you were the victim of an identity crime, contact us. You can speak with an ITRC expert advisor toll-free by text or phone (888.400.5530) or live chat on the company website. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started.