The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has removed 19 fraudulent websites impersonating the agency over the past year as part of a wider crackdown on scams targeting consumers through fake government identities and business affiliations.
In an announcement on October 29, the FTC said its enforcement efforts also include legal action against fraudulent businesses and the removal of misleading social media accounts. The agency is additionally examining whether online advertising platforms contribute to the spread of impersonation scams.
Since its Impersonation Rule came into effect in 2024, the FTC has conducted 14 enforcement actions, securing more than $80 million in consumer redress. The removed websites included domains such as FTC-Support.org, FTC-Complaints.org and federaltradecommission.net, which allegedly misled visitors by appearing to offer official government services.
The crackdown has also targeted businesses accused of falsely claiming government affiliations or posing as legitimate organisations. One prominent case involves Credit Glory, a credit repair operation accused of taking approximately $200 million from US consumers, including military personnel. A federal court temporarily halted its operations and froze its assets in August.
The FTC has warned that violations of its Impersonation Rule could attract civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.
The regulator is also seeking public feedback on potentially expanding its rules to address how search engines, social media platforms and digital advertising services facilitate fraudulent advertisements.
According to FTC figures, consumers reported losing approximately $3.5 billion to impersonation scams in 2025. The agency has urged people to verify official website addresses, avoid suspicious payment demands and independently confirm requests for sensitive information.
