Fact · Voice privacy and security
The FBI advises you to verify the identity of anyone who calls or sends voice messages before you respond.
Checked against its source on October 17, 2026
In the source's own words
“Verify the identity of the person calling you or sending text or voice messages.”
Senior US Officials Impersonated in Malicious Messaging Campaign (Alert I-051525-PSA), FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, Federal Bureau of Investigation (IC3), 2025, Alert I-051525-PSA, Spotting a Fake Message.
Open the original- What it measures
- The first recommendation in the FBI's guidance on spotting a fake message from a senior official, which the alert presents as applying to any caller.
- What it does not show
- The alert is written about official impersonation. The same advice applies to family calls, but the alert does not say so.