What are the red flags?

A caller claiming to be police, a sheriff's deputy or a federal agent says you owe a fine or debt; You're told a family member has been arrested and needs bail money right away; You get barcodes or QR codes by text or email and are told to load money onto them at a store; You're asked to read the code back once it's paid; Pressure to act immediately, or an offer to transfer your call to someone else.

What should I do if I clicked, paid, or replied?

If someone tells you to load money onto a barcode or QR code at a retail store, hang up or ignore the message. SSA OIG says it's a scam; Pause. Scammers create urgency so you won't have time to think or talk to others; Never trust a call transfer. Hang up and call the agency directly using a phone number from its official website; Report attempts involving someone claiming to be from SSA at ssa.gov/scam or the SSA OIG Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271, and report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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Government impersonation / payment scamPhoneSMSEmail

Callers posing as police who text you barcodes or QR codes to load with money

Q: What does the Callers posing as police who text you barcodes or QR codes to load with money scam look like?

Yes, according to SSA OIG: law enforcement and government agencies will never demand immediate payment by sending barcodes or QR codes, so if you're told to load money onto one, it's a scam. According to a Sept. 28, 2026 scam alert from the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), it starts with a scary call or text from someone claiming to be a police officer, sheriff's deputy or federal agent. They say you owe a fine or debt, or that a family member, often an adult child, has been arrested and needs bail money. You might even hear your family member's voice, which SSA OIG notes can be faked with cheap, easy voice cloning. Instead of asking for cash or a wire transfer, they text or email you one or more barcodes or QR codes and tell you to go to a big-name retail store, load money onto each one, and read the code back once it's paid. SSA OIG calls this a fast-growing twist on old-fashioned gift card scams and says some victims lose thousands of dollars, often without ever giving up a Social Security number or other personal information, because the barcode itself is the scam.

Last updated Oct 25, 2026

Also known as: Load money onto a barcode scam, QR code bail money scam, Pay your fine with a barcode at a store, Think Before You Scan

The Scam

According to a Sept. 28, 2026 scam alert from the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), it starts with a scary call or text from someone claiming to be a police officer, sheriff's deputy or federal agent. They say you owe a fine or debt, or that a family member, often an adult child, has been arrested and needs bail money. You might even hear your family member's voice, which SSA OIG notes can be faked with cheap, easy voice cloning. Instead of asking for cash or a wire transfer, they text or email you one or more barcodes or QR codes and tell you to go to a big-name retail store, load money onto each one, and read the code back once it's paid. SSA OIG calls this a fast-growing twist on old-fashioned gift card scams and says some victims lose thousands of dollars, often without ever giving up a Social Security number or other personal information, because the barcode itself is the scam.

The Targets

Anyone. SSA OIG says everyone is a target, including people told a loved one has been arrested.

Red flags

A caller claiming to be police, a sheriff's deputy or a federal agent says you owe a fine or debt
You're told a family member has been arrested and needs bail money right away
You get barcodes or QR codes by text or email and are told to load money onto them at a store
You're asked to read the code back once it's paid
Pressure to act immediately, or an offer to transfer your call to someone else

Your Move

If someone tells you to load money onto a barcode or QR code at a retail store, hang up or ignore the message. SSA OIG says it's a scam
Pause. Scammers create urgency so you won't have time to think or talk to others
Never trust a call transfer. Hang up and call the agency directly using a phone number from its official website
Report attempts involving someone claiming to be from SSA at ssa.gov/scam or the SSA OIG Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271, and report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov

More steps for any scam link: I clicked a scam link. What now?

Still circulating?

SSA OIG described this on Sept. 28, 2026 as a fast-growing twist on gift card scams.

Primary source: Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General · 2026-09-28

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Educational summary only. Verify details on the source page. Report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or ic3.gov.