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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Caller ID is not proof that a call comes from the FBI. In a September 29, 2026 warning, FBI Newark described scammers who spoofed a field-office number and used the name of a real agent. A person who independently calls the office might truthfully learn that the agent works there—but that does not authenticate the person who called them. The warning follows reports from New Jersey; it does not establish that every phone owner has been targeted or quantify how common this particular twist is.
How the scam gets past a basic verification check
The Newark warning describes a variation on government-official impersonation fraud. A caller can appear to be calling from an FBI field office and give the name of an agent who really works there. If the recipient calls the office and asks whether that agent is employed there, the answer may be yes. The fact is genuine; the caller’s identity remains unverified.
- A scammer contacts someone unexpectedly and claims to be a federal law-enforcement agent.
- The caller ID is spoofed to resemble a field-office number, and the caller may use a real agent’s name.
- The recipient checks the name with the office, but a confirmation of employment is mistaken for confirmation of the caller.
- In at least one case reported to Newark, the impersonator used a virtual meeting with a staged, FBI-like background to appear credible.
FBI Newark’s September 29, 2026 notice says New Jersey residents reported impersonators claiming to represent the FBI, DEA, and Secret Service. It does not report a local victim count or loss estimate, and it does not say the cases involved AI. Read the FBI Newark warning.
Why caller ID, a real name, or video can mislead
Caller ID can be spoofed, and names and credentials can be copied or misused. A phone number displayed on your screen tells you what number appears to be calling; it does not establish who is on the line. Likewise, confirming that a named agent is employed by an agency verifies the employment claim, not the identity of the caller.
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The FBI and Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) say impersonators use spoofed phone numbers, email addresses, names, and credentials. Their September 17, 2026 alert also describes urgency, threats, secrecy, and prolonged calls as pressure tactics, as well as newer technology—including AI—used to appear as officials on video calls. That national alert describes broader methods; Newark’s local notice does not attribute its reported incidents to AI. See the FBI/IC3 alert.
What the reported numbers do—and do not—show
IC3’s September 17, 2026 alert reports complaints and losses for the period from January 2025 through July 2026. The figures below cover broader fraud categories, not the specific caller-verification twist described by FBI Newark.
| IC3 category | Complaints | Reported losses | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Law-enforcement and government impersonation scams | Nearly 61,000 | More than $1.6 billion | January 2025–July 2026; broad category |
| Jury-duty or missed-court-date impersonation | 6,833 | Nearly $36 million | January 2025–July 2026 |
| Scammers impersonating government officials or law enforcement in the specific fraud type summarized in that part of the alert | 3,322 | More than $37 million | January 2025–July 2026; category as described by IC3 |
| Impersonation targeting people associated with foreign countries, including threats involving foreign law enforcement, extradition, or home-country passports | 1,809 | More than $140 million | January 2025–July 2026 |
These are complaints and reported losses, not a count of people affected by the Newark tactic. The Newark notice provides no separate measure of that tactic’s prevalence or losses.
How to check whether a caller claiming to be an agent is real
- End the incoming call or meeting. Do not use a number, link, or callback instructions supplied by the person who contacted you.
- Find the agency’s public number independently. Use the agency’s official website or another trusted source, then call that number yourself.
- Explain that you suspect impersonation. Ask the agency to verify whether the agent is contacting you. Do not treat confirmation that a person works there as proof that they made the original call. If you cannot reach a local office, FBI Newark advises contacting the agency’s main office.
- Do not pay or disclose sensitive information while the claim is unverified. The FBI/IC3 alert says law-enforcement and government authorities will not demand payment by phone or text or request personal or sensitive information that way.
Scammers may demand prepaid cards, a bank wire, cryptocurrency, cash deposited at a cryptocurrency kiosk, or cash delivered by courier. The FBI/IC3 guidance says officials will not demand payment by telephone or text, or ask for payment by prepaid card, cryptocurrency, or courier. A demand for money to avoid arrest, prosecution, imprisonment, a fine, or a supposed investigation is a warning sign.
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- Stop communicating with the suspected impersonator. Do not send more money or provide additional information.
- Contact your financial institutions promptly. Tell them what happened and ask them to help safeguard your accounts or respond to a transaction.
- Preserve evidence. Keep payment records and communications, including phone numbers, messages, emails, and meeting details.
- Report the incident. Contact local law enforcement and file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
- If there was a virtual meeting, capture what you can. FBI Newark advises taking photos or recording video and submitting it at tips.fbi.gov.
The FBI/IC3 alert states: “Law enforcement and government authorities will never contact members of the public by telephone or text message to demand any form of payment or to request personal or sensitive information.” The statement appears in IC3’s September 17, 2026 public service announcement.
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