Beware of Scammers Preying on Government Shutdown Fears

As the federal government shutdown stretches into its second month and more social benefit programs are disrupted, scammers are seizing the opportunity to exploit customers’ uncertainty and fear. State attorneys general, banks and media outlets are already warning of an uptick in fraud targeting beneficiaries of federal programs.

Scammers never miss a crisis. Millions of Americans are facing delays or confusion about healthcare, food assistance and other federal programs. That anxiety makes people more vulnerable to high-pressure tactics from criminals looking to steal money or personal information.