The SAM.gov Renewal Scam

Is SAM.gov registration or renewal free?

Yes. SAM.gov is run by the General Services Administration (GSA). Registering an entity, renewing an entity, updating your information, getting a UEI, and getting a CAGE code are all free of charge. Always have been. There is no premium tier, no rush option you can pay for, no third party who can do it faster.

Some companies will offer to do the registration for you for a fee. That is technically a legal service: you are paying them to fill out a free form. It is also almost always a bad deal. The form is not that hard once you have the prerequisites, and these companies routinely charge $500–$1,500 for an hour of data entry. They also tend to fight chargebacks, store your sensitive info, and renew your account without permission so they can bill you again next year.

Bottom line: if you can fill out a tax form, you can fill out SAM.gov. The page on how to renew yourself below walks through every step.

What do the SAM.gov scams look like?

The scams come in a few flavors. They all share the same goal: get you to pay or hand over your login credentials. Here are the patterns to watch for.

1. The fake invoice

Looks like an official invoice. Has a federal-looking logo, a fake invoice number, and a "due date" 5–7 days out. Charges anywhere from $399 to $1,500 for "annual SAM renewal" or "federal registration maintenance."

2. The "your registration is about to expire" email

Looks like an automated reminder. Says your SAM registration will lapse and includes a link to a renewal portal. The portal is not SAM.gov; it is a lookalike site that either takes your money or steals your login.

3. The cold call from a "registration specialist"

Someone calls saying they are with "Federal Registration Services" or "the SAM Renewal Center." They claim they noticed a problem with your registration and they can fix it for a fee. Sometimes they impersonate GSA or DLA directly. They are pressure-selling.

The federal government does not call small businesses to upsell renewal services. Hang up.

4. The lookalike domain

Scam sites that look exactly like SAM.gov but live at slightly different domains. Examples that have been used:

• sam-gov.us: not real
• samgov.org: not real
• federal-sam.com: not real
• sam-registration.com: not real
• samrenewal.us: not real

Only sam.gov is the real site. Bookmark it. Type it directly. Never trust a link in an unsolicited email.

5. The text-message phish

"Your SAM.gov account has a security issue. Verify here: [shortened link]." The link goes to a credential-harvesting page. SAM.gov does not text contractors about account issues. Delete and block.

How do I tell if a SAM email is real?

Three quick checks:

• Check the sender's email domain. Real federal communications come from addresses ending in @sam.gov, @gsa.gov, @dla.mil, or @fsd.gov. Anything else is suspect.
• Check whether they ask for money. Real SAM communications never ask for payment. Period. If money is mentioned, it is a scam.
• Check the link before clicking. Hover your mouse over the link (or long-press on mobile). The destination should be on sam.gov or fsd.gov. If it is anywhere else, do not click.

That is it. No invoice number. No dollar amount. No urgency. No phone number to call. The federal government communicates plainly because it does not need to upsell you.

How to renew your SAM.gov registration yourself (free, 5–30 minutes)

If your registration is up to date and your business information has not changed, the actual renewal takes about 15–30 minutes. If something has changed (address, banking info, points of contact, NAICS codes), allow more time. Either way, here is the process:

1. Go to sam.gov directly. Type the URL yourself or use a bookmark. Never click a link from an email you received about renewal.
2. Sign in with Login.gov. SAM uses Login.gov for authentication. If you do not have a Login.gov account, create one for free. You will need multi-factor authentication set up.
3. Go to your Workspace. Once signed in, click "Workspace" at the top. You will see your registered entity (or entities). Find the one expiring.
4. Click "Renew." You will be walked through the same screens as the original registration: Core Data, Assertions, Reps and Certs, Points of Contact. Most fields will be pre-filled with your existing information.
5. Update anything that has changed. Address, banking, NAICS codes, points of contact. Be honest and current. Wrong information is the leading cause of registration delays.
6. Re-certify the Reps and Certs. Read them. They are not pro-forma. You are certifying things like your size status and integrity certifications under penalty of False Claims Act liability. Take it seriously.
7. Submit. You will get a confirmation email at the address you have on file. Validation can take from a few business days to several weeks depending on backlog.
8. Wait for the "active" confirmation. Until you get the email confirming your renewal is approved, treat your registration as not yet renewed. You can check status anytime by logging back into SAM.

If something stalls, the only legitimate help channel is the Federal Service Desk at fsd.gov. They are free. They are also slow. Open a ticket and be patient.

I think I already paid a scam. What now?

You are not alone. The SAM scam industry pulls millions of dollars a year out of small businesses. Here is what to do:

1. Contact your bank or credit card company immediately. Ask for a chargeback. The earlier you call, the better your chances. Tell them it was a fraudulent service representing itself as a federal agency.
2. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The FTC tracks these scams and pursues the worst offenders.
3. Report to the GSA Office of Inspector General at gsaig.gov. They specifically investigate SAM-related fraud.
4. Renew yourself, free, on SAM.gov. The scammer is not actually doing your renewal. You still need to do it. Follow the steps above.
5. Document everything. Keep the email, the invoice, the receipt, the URL of the site. The agencies investigating these scams need this evidence to act.

If you gave the scammer your Login.gov credentials, log into Login.gov immediately and change your password and reset your MFA. Check your SAM account for any unauthorized changes, especially banking and points of contact.