FTC Says 19 Websites Impersonating the Agency Were Taken Down

Oct 30, 2026 1 min read All South Florida Money & Consumer Alerts New

Quick answer

The FTC said on Oct. 29 that registrars took down 19 websites impersonating the agency over the past year, and that 14 enforcement actions under its Impersonation Rule have produced more than $80 million in consumer redress since 2024. Type ftc.gov yourself — the real FTC never demands money.

Key facts

The FTC announced on October 29, 2026 that, after its letters to domain registrars, 19 websites impersonating the FTC were taken down over the past year, including FTC-Support.org, FTC-Complaints.org, FTC-help.com and federaltradecommission.net.
Imposter scams have been the top reported fraud category for several years, with consumers reporting billions of dollars in losses, the FTC said.
Since its Impersonation Rule took effect in 2024, the FTC has completed 14 enforcement actions resulting in more than $80 million in redress for consumers; violators can face civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation.
In September 2026 the FTC sought public comment on whether to update the rule to address online platforms' role in promoting impersonation scams.

Even the agency that takes scam reports has impersonators. The Federal Trade Commission said on October 29 that domain registrars took down 19 websites impersonating the FTC over the past year, after the agency flagged them as apparent violations of its Impersonation Rule. The look-alike names included FTC-Support.org, FTC-Complaints.org, FTC-help.com and federaltradecommission.net.

The FTC also reported that 14 completed enforcement actions under the rule since 2024 have produced more than $80 million in redress for consumers, and that imposter scams remain the top reported fraud category, with billions in reported losses.

Why it matters: a site that looks like the FTC can harvest exactly the personal details a scam victim is trying to report. Go to the real agency by typing ftc.gov or ReportFraud.ftc.gov yourself — never through a link in a message — and remember the FTC never demands money or threatens you.