MS Teams FBI Video Call Escalation Scam

Critical SeverityRisingGovernment Impersonation / Video Call ScamVerified 2026-03-17

A multi-stage scam that starts with a spoofed bank fraud department call about a fictitious purchase, then "transfers" the victim to a fake FBI agent on a Microsoft Teams video call. The fake agent uses an FBI background, shows fake credentials on camera, and demands the victim hold their driver's license up to the webcam before instructing them to move money to "safe federal accounts."

Annual Losses

$789M+ combined government impersonation losses (FTC 2024)

Avg Loss / Victim

$5,000-$50,000 (funds transferred to "safe" accounts)

Primary Vector

Phone call escalated to Microsoft Teams video call

Peak Season

Year-round

How It Works

This scam combines phone-based bank impersonation with a sophisticated video call escalation. The victim receives a call from someone claiming to be their bank's fraud department, alerting them to a large suspicious purchase. The caller then "transfers" the victim to a fake FBI agent on Microsoft Teams, where the scammer uses an FBI-branded virtual background, displays fake credentials on camera, and pressures the victim into showing their driver's license on webcam and moving money to supposed federal safe accounts.

1Victim receives a spoofed phone call appearing to come from their bank's fraud department
2Caller claims a large fraudulent purchase (often firearms, electronics, or wire transfer) was detected on the victim's account
3Caller says the matter is being handled by the FBI Cybercrime Division and initiates a "transfer"
4Victim is connected to a Microsoft Teams video call with a person posing as an FBI agent
5Fake agent uses an FBI-branded virtual background and holds up fake credentials to the camera
6Agent demands the victim hold their driver's license up to the webcam for "identity verification"
7Agent instructs victim to move funds from their bank to "safe federal accounts" (actually scammer-controlled accounts)
8Victim's identity documents are captured via screenshot for future identity theft

Example Scam Messages

Hover or tap the highlighted text to see why each element is a red flag.

EXAMPLE 1

This is Chase Fraud DepartmentRed flag: Caller ID can be spoofed. Real bank fraud departments ask you to call back on the number on your card. We've detected a $2,400 firearms purchaseRed flag: Alarming, specific purchase designed to trigger fear and urgency on your account. We need to transfer you to the FBIRed flag: Banks never transfer calls directly to law enforcement. That is not how either institution works Cybercrime Division to file a report.

“Chase Fraud Department” — Caller ID can be spoofed. Real bank fraud departments ask you to call back on the number on your card

“$2,400 firearms purchase” — Alarming, specific purchase designed to trigger fear and urgency

“transfer you to the FBI” — Banks never transfer calls directly to law enforcement. That is not how either institution works

EXAMPLE 2

Agent Williams, FBI. I'm going to need you to hold your driver's license up to the cameraRed flag: Law enforcement never asks you to show ID on a video call. This captures your identity document for theft so I can verify your identity and protect your accountsRed flag: The FBI does not "protect" bank accounts. Banks handle their own security.

“hold your driver's license up to the camera” — Law enforcement never asks you to show ID on a video call. This captures your identity document for theft

“verify your identity and protect your accounts” — The FBI does not "protect" bank accounts. Banks handle their own security

Red Flags Checklist

Bank says they need to "transfer" you to the FBI

Banks never transfer calls to law enforcement. If fraud is suspected, the bank handles it internally and may advise you to file a police report separately

Law enforcement contacts you via Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or video call

The FBI, police, and other agencies do not conduct investigations or interviews over commercial video chat platforms

Anyone asks you to hold your ID up to a webcam

No legitimate institution verifies identity by having you show a document to a webcam. This is how scammers capture your ID for identity theft

You're told to move money to a "safe" or "federal" account

There is no such thing as a government safe account. The FBI never asks people to move their own money

Agent shows credentials or badge via video

A badge shown on a screen proves nothing. Real agents show credentials in person during official visits, not over video calls

What Real Communication Looks Like

Real bank fraud departments may call you, but they will never transfer you to law enforcement. If your bank detects fraud, they freeze the transaction and may ask you to verify recent purchases. They will tell you to call back using the number on your card if you are unsure. The real FBI does not cold-call citizens, does not use Microsoft Teams or Zoom for investigations, does not ask you to display identification on video, and absolutely never asks you to move money anywhere.

What To Do

If you just received this message:

Hang up immediately

Call your bank directly using the phone number on the back of your debit or credit card

Do not join any video call links sent by the caller

Report the call to your bank's actual fraud department

Report the impersonation to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov

If you already clicked or gave information:

If you showed your ID on camera: place a fraud alert on your credit reports immediately at all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)

Consider a credit freeze to prevent new accounts from being opened in your name

If you transferred money: contact your bank immediately to attempt to reverse the transfer

File a report with the FBI IC3 at ic3.gov

File a report with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov

Monitor your credit reports weekly for unauthorized accounts

Where to report:

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): ic3.gov

FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov

Your bank's real fraud department (number on the back of your card)

Microsoft (report Teams abuse): microsoft.com/reportabuse

Local police department

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the FBI really call me about fraud on my bank account?

The FBI does not call individual citizens about bank account fraud. Bank fraud is handled by your bank. If the FBI were involved in a larger investigation, they would contact you through official channels, typically a letter or an in-person visit, not a phone call transferred from your bank.

The caller ID showed my bank's real number. How is that fake?

Caller ID spoofing is trivially easy and extremely common in scams. Scammers can make any number appear on your caller ID, including your bank, the IRS, or the FBI. Never trust caller ID alone. Always hang up and call the institution directly using a number you find independently.

What can they do with a photo of my driver's license?

A clear image of your driver's license gives scammers your full legal name, date of birth, address, and license number. This is enough to open credit cards, loans, and bank accounts in your name (synthetic identity fraud). It can also be used to pass identity verification checks at financial institutions.

Sources

Reddit r/Scams community reports (March 2026)
FBI IC3 authority impersonation warnings
FTC government impersonation fraud data (2024-2025)

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