Scam library · Phone calls · Government impostor
ICE impostor call: 'pay now or you will be detained'
The caller says they are with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. There is a warrant. You, or a relative, will be detained unless you pay a fine in the next few hours. Caller ID may look official, and a second person may jump on pretending to be local police.
ICE and local police do not call to warn that officers are coming and then accept Zelle, Cash App, gift cards, or crypto to make a warrant disappear. In late October 2026, a family in Morgan County, Alabama, recorded a call claiming a relative would be detained by ICE unless they sent $3,000 within 48 hours by Zelle or Cash App. Deputies confirmed it was a scam.
What the message looks like
From: "ICE Enforcement Division" (202-555-0144)
"This is Officer Alvarez with ICE. There is an active warrant tied to your name. Officers can detain you within 48 hours unless the bond is paid today."
"Do not hang up and do not tell anyone. We can take the $3,000 payment by Zelle or Cash App and close the file."
How this scam works
The District of Columbia's banking regulator describes the next step: the caller may ask for your date of birth, Social Security number, or card details, then demand thousands of dollars — in one version, $3,999 — to 'vacate' a warrant. They may point you to a real ICE page about immigration bonds so the story feels official, while the money goes to them.
A related pitch uses fake lawyers or 'notarios' on Facebook or WhatsApp who promise to fix a case for a fee. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says it contacts people only through official government channels, not personal social media, and will never ask you to send money to an individual or pay by Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, Venmo, or gift cards. Between January 2025 and July 2026, the FBI received nearly 61,000 government-impersonation complaints, with reported losses of more than $1.6 billion. A 2026 ProPublica review of FTC complaints found immigration-related reports roughly doubled in 2025, to nearly 2,000, with at least $94.4 million reported stolen over five years.
Red flags
- A threat of immediate arrest or detention unless you pay right now.
- A request to pay by Zelle, Cash App, gift cards, wire, crypto, or courier — or to read card numbers over the phone.
- Instructions to keep the call secret from family, a lawyer, your bank, or police.
- A second caller who claims to be local police, or siren sounds in the background.
- Someone on WhatsApp or Facebook claiming they can fix an immigration case for a fee.
How to tell it’s fake
- Hang up. Do not pay, share identity documents, or stay on the line 'just to hear them out.'
- If you have a real immigration case, check it through your official USCIS online account or a number published on a .gov site you typed yourself.
- Government officials will not call or text to demand payment, and they will not take prepaid cards, cryptocurrency, or app transfers to drop a charge.
- If the story still sounds possible — especially if it names a relative — call that relative first, then get a second look from a lawyer or a scam expert before any money moves.
What to do if you clicked, paid or shared info
Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. These scams are built by professionals. Act quickly, one step at a time.
If you clicked a link or called back
- If you only listened or replied, stop contact. Report suspected ICE impersonation to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General at 1-800-323-8603, and file reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.
If you paid
- Call your bank or payment app immediately and ask them to try to reverse the transfer. If you bought gift cards, contact the card company with the numbers and receipts. File a local police report plus reports with the FTC and IC3.
If you shared personal info, a password or a code
- If you gave a Social Security number, date of birth, passport or visa details, or card numbers, visit IdentityTheft.gov, consider a credit freeze, and monitor your accounts. Tell USCIS through official channels if you worry someone may misuse your immigration information.
Where to report and get help (U.S.)
If a message seems legit and you’re still not sure, get a second opinion before you act. Reporting helps stop scammers, even if money can’t be recovered. If you are in danger, call 911.
- Your bank or card issuer
Call the number on the back of your card or on your statement, not one from the message. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and to watch the account. - Federal Trade Commission (FTC) · ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Report the scam and get a step-by-step recovery plan. - FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) · ic3.gov
Report scams that happened online, especially if money was lost. Include phone numbers, websites and payment details. - AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline · aarp.org helpline
Free, for anyone of any age: trained volunteers help you sort out next steps. 877-908-3360, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. - IdentityTheft.gov · IdentityTheft.gov
If you shared your Social Security number or someone opened accounts in your name.
How Gmork Scam Guard would warn you
Scam Guard cannot hear a phone call. If the caller pushes you to a payment page or lookalike government site in Chrome or Edge, it can warn you when an ICE or bond page is not on a real .gov address and flag pressure to pay by gift card, crypto, or a sudden app transfer. When fear makes the story feel real, pause and get a second opinion before you send anything.
Scam Guard can miss things, so the checks above still matter. See what it warns about and what it keeps private.
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Aggiungi a OperaQuestions people ask
- Would ICE really call to say officers are coming?
- Consumer-protection agencies are clear: ICE agents and local police do not call to warn that you are about to be arrested and then demand money to stop it. Treat that call as a scam and hang up.
- The number on the screen looked like a real government line. How?
- Caller ID can be spoofed, including numbers that resemble federal or local agencies. The number on the screen does not prove who is speaking. Hang up and use a contact method published on an official .gov site.
- Someone on WhatsApp said they could handle my hearing for a fee. Is that different?
- It is a close cousin of the same fear. USCIS will not contact you through personal social media and will not ask you to pay an individual. A notary public in the United States cannot give immigration legal advice.
Sources
- DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking: ICE agent imposter scam
- WAFF: Alabama family warned after an ICE-impersonation call demanded $3,000 by Zelle or Cash App (October 31, 2026)
- FBI IC3: Scammers impersonating law enforcement and government officials (September 17, 2026)
- USCIS: Common immigration scams, including government impersonators and notarios
- ProPublica: Analysis of FTC complaints found immigration scam reports doubled in 2025, with at least $94.4 million reported stolen over five years (April 29, 2026)