Common forms of impersonation
Scammers impersonate banks, government agencies, utility companies, police, technology companies, employers, and relatives. They often spoof caller ID or email addresses, create urgency, and ask for money by wire, payment app, gift card, or cryptocurrency, or ask you to read back a verification code. Businesses face similar schemes through emails that appear to come from executives or vendors and request a payment or a change in bank details. Others create fake social media or dating profiles using someone's real photos and name. The Federal Trade Commission has a rule targeting impersonation of government agencies and businesses, which allows it to seek money back for victims in some cases.
If you were the target
Speed often matters most, so call your bank or payment provider right away, using the number on your card or its official website rather than any number the caller gave. Federal rules protect consumers for unauthorized electronic transfers, but when you were tricked into sending the money yourself, refunds usually depend on the bank's or app's own policies. Change passwords and enable stronger authentication on any account that may be compromised, and report the impersonation to the FTC, to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, and to the real organization being imitated. If someone is posing as you online, report the profile to the platform and keep screenshots, since the account may be taken down before you have a copy.
If you are accused of impersonation
New York has criminal impersonation offenses that can apply when someone poses as another person or as a public official, including online. Charges may arise from a fake profile, a message sent under another name, or using someone's identity in a transaction. Context matters: parody, an obvious joke, or a shared account can look very different once the facts are known. Whether you were targeted or accused, we start by looking at the messages and accounts involved, then decide on reporting, recovery efforts, or a defense strategy.
