The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has published an update on its fight against imposter scams. According to the agency, it has removed 19 websites that were impersonating the FTC itself, and its enforcement actions have resulted in more than $80 million in consumer redress since its Impersonation Rule went into effect in 2024. The FTC released the highlights on October 29, 2026.
Fake FTC sites. One of the most striking figures is that scammers have been posing as the very regulator that is meant to protect consumers. The FTC says it stopped 19 FTC-impersonation websites. The agency did not detail in its announcement what these sites offered or how many people they reached.
Money back to victims. The second headline number is the redress. According to the FTC, enforcement actions brought since the Impersonation Rule came into force have produced more than $80 million returned or owed to consumers. The rule gives the agency a specific legal tool to pursue those who pretend to be someone they are not in order to deceive people.
Imposter scams have been the top reported fraud category over the past several years with consumers reporting billions in losses.
A warning to scammers. Those were the words of Christopher Mufarrige, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. He added that the FTC takes these scams very seriously and will continue to vigorously enforce the law. His message to anyone who pretends to be, or to be affiliated with, an organisation in order to deceive consumers was that they should expect to hear from the agency.
Why it matters
The biggest fraud category. By the FTC's own account, impersonation has been the most reported type of fraud in the United States for several years, with consumers reporting billions in losses. Against that backdrop, $80 million in redress is a meaningful but modest slice of the overall harm, which shows both the progress the rule has enabled and the scale of the problem that remains. The takedown of sites mimicking the FTC is also a reminder that no brand, not even a regulator, is safe from being copied.
- Be suspicious of any message or website claiming to be a government agency or well-known company, especially if it asks for money or personal data.
- Type official web addresses yourself instead of clicking links in emails, texts or ads.
- Hang up and call the organisation back using a number you have verified independently.
- Report suspected imposter scams to the FTC so the agency can track and act on them.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
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