Data Breaches Enable a 25% Increase in Government Impersonation Scams

American consumers lost more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024. The FTC received over 330,000 complaints about government impersonation scams in 2025, a 25% increase from the year prior. These scams operate by using personal information leaked through data breaches, including names, partial Social Security numbers, and addresses. Criminals use this valid information to make the impersonation of agencies like the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the IRS believable. The SSA's Office of the Inspector General reports that phishing emails asking recipients to download Social Security statements through links to fraudulent sites have become more common. These emails often reference part of a Social Security number to appear legitimate. The total loss to American consumers from fraud in 2024 was $12.5 billion.