Don't be fooled, scammers may pretend to be a government official, tech support, your local bank, a family member or a close friend - this is known as an Imposter or Impersonator scam.
Stay educated on recent trends and reported scams in your area, know the red flags of this type of scam and discuss suspicious communications with trusted family or friends to ensure you do not become a victim!
Resources:
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/blog/beware-of-new-cfpb-imposter-scams/
Federal Communications Commission - 'Grandparent' Scams Get More Sophisticated, https://www.fcc.gov/grandparent-scams-get-more-sophisticated
Federal Trade Commission - Anatomy of an Imposter Scam, https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-avoid-imposter-scams
Consumer.gov, https://consumer.gov/scams-identity-theft/imposter-scams
Impersonator Scams, https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/pass-it-on/impersonator-scams
Internal Revenue Service - Knowing how scammers pose as the IRS can help taxpayers protect themselves, https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/knowing-how-scammers-pose-as-the-irs-can-help-taxpayers-protect-themselves
Military Consumer- https://www.militaryconsumer.gov/protect/best-practices-empowered-consumers/seeing-through-imposter-scams
Social Security Administration - How to Spot an Imposter Social Security Social Media Account, https://blog.ssa.gov/how-to-spot-an-imposter-social-security-social-media-account/
USA.gov - https://www.usa.gov/imposter-scams