The FBI Louisville Field Office is warning Kentuckians about a rise in fraud schemes in which scammers pose as law enforcement officers or government officials to extort money or steal personal information.
According to the FBI, the scams often begin with an unsolicited phone call from someone using a spoofed number to make the call appear legitimate. The most common version in Kentucky involves scammers impersonating a local sheriff’s office.
In those cases, the caller falsely tells the victim they did not report for jury duty or missed a court date and claims an arrest warrant has been issued. The scammer then pressures the victim to make an immediate payment to avoid arrest or other consequences.
The FBI said scammers may try to make the scheme appear more credible by using artificial intelligence, sending official-looking court documents or referencing personal identifying information they already have about the victim. In cases involving fake sheriff’s office calls, the agency said scammers often use fraudulent federal court or federal agency documents.
Officials said government and law enforcement impersonation scams can take many forms, most often through phone calls and emails, but they typically rely on intimidation and urgency. Scammers may refuse to speak with anyone but the intended victim and often tell victims not to discuss the matter with family members, friends, banks or other law enforcement agencies.
The FBI said scammers most commonly demand payment through cash deposits at cryptocurrency ATMs, prepaid cards or wire transfers.
The agency stressed that legitimate law enforcement officers do not call members of the public to demand payment, threaten arrest or request payment through cryptocurrency ATMs.
Nationwide, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 39,949 complaints about government impersonation scams in 2025, with reported losses topping $833 million. In Kentucky alone, 475 complaints were filed and reported losses exceeded $3.15 million.
The FBI urged the public to “take a beat” before responding to any threatening or urgent demand. Residents should not provide or confirm personal information to someone they have only encountered online, by phone or through any unsolicited contact, the agency said. It also warned people not to send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or other assets to anyone they have not met in person.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted should stop communicating with the scammer immediately, contact their financial institution to protect their accounts, notify local law enforcement and file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.