ChainThink report, March 14: According to FBI data, government impersonation scams are on the rise as artificial intelligence technologies become more widespread. Fraudsters can leverage deepfake videos, voice synthesis, and generative AI to impersonate government officials or corporate executives, making these scams significantly more convincing.

Reports indicate that attackers can generate highly realistic digital avatars using publicly available audiovisual materials and employ AI to produce highly personalized scam messages. In 2024, an AI-fabricated video conference scam led employees at Arup's Hong Kong office to mistakenly follow fraudulent instructions, resulting in a transfer of approximately HKD 2 billion (around USD 25 million) to a scam account.

During the U.S. tax season, fraudsters frequently impersonate the Internal Revenue Service or other government agencies to create urgent payment demands. The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center recorded over 17,000 complaints related to government impersonation scams in 2024, with reported losses exceeding USD 400 million.

Security experts advise the public to remain vigilant against messages demanding immediate payments, verify sources through official channels, and avoid clicking on suspicious email or SMS links.