Overview
The scammer impersonates a government official in order to leverage the authority, trust, and fear of that official position. The scammer can use this authority to manipulate victims into acting quickly, by creating a high-pressure situation that will let the victims bypass their critical thinking.
Common scams that use the impersonation of a government official include almost all the 5.1 Government Fee Collection Scams, the 6.1 Serious Crime Accusation Scam, and the 2.2.4 Fraud Loss Recovery Scam, among others.