In a news release, the Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Financial Institutions alerted consumers about a rise in imposter scams nationwide and here in Ohio. 

From the release:

These schemes involve criminals pretending to be someone you trust, such as government officials, family members, tech support representatives, or employees from well-known companies. Scammers then use a combination of high-pressure tactics and fake emergency scenarios involving a family member or loved one to trick people into sending money or sharing personal information.

Many Ohioans are being targeted by these scams. In the first half of this year alone, there have been 12,837 reports of imposter scams involving either government or business imposters in Ohio according to data from the Federal Trade Commission. That is up nearly 47% from the 8,748 reports filed during the same time period in 2024.

To learn more, please read the full release.

The information on this page is a summary of an announcement released by the agency or agencies cited above. For more information or for questions related to that release, please contact the office that released it.