Witnessing or being the victim of a
fraudulent scheme distorts your view of individuals, governmental bodies, and
companies as a whole. Although many criminals exist in the world, many credible
anti-fraud organizations also exist to let you report a scam online from the
comfort of your home. It does not matter if you witnessed someone cheating on
their taxes or if you suffered a loss due to a scam, there is a credible
organization with a website you can trust with your personal story.
Trust These Websites to Report a
Scam
- StopFraud.gov
The Financial Fraud Enforcement Task
Force at StopFraud.gov gives a good
overview of the different types of scams affecting people in the United States
and how to prevent it. The Task Force also connects recent victims to the
appropriate governmental organizations depending on the fraud committed. You can report a scam involving student loan scams to the Department of Education in
the Office of the Inspector General or a multitude of other secure government
websites that do not leave you questioning their legitimacy.
- The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement
The U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) maintains homeland security and public safety by regulating
immigration, trade, border control, and international customs by enforcing
federal mandates and laws. The ICE manages the investigation of illegally
transported goods and people across international borders and deports illegal
immigrants from the U.S. You can report
a scam on their website that involves export/import
violations, cash or weapons smuggling, human rights violations, marriage fraud,
intellectual property theft, or child exploitation.
The FTC, Federal Trade Commission,
regulates competition between businesses in the United States and protects
consumers through their investigation into fraud, educational programs, and
policy making. Report a scam through their reliable File Complaint Assistantwebsite.They
cover the widest variety of online and offline scams and schemes concerning
charitable donations, internet shopping, holiday/travel plans, educational
offers, discounted products, grants or scholarships, false employment
advertisements, internet, satellite, and cable TV providers, magazines,
automobiles, fitness and health services, immigration, tax services, identity
theft, and unwanted texts, emails, or phone calls.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
The Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau (CFBP) is another governmental organization overseeing the U.S. economy
and financial markets to protect consumers from abuse or fraud. They provide
data about various businesses from unsatisfied consumers on their website. The
CFBP also allows you to report
a scam online and they will contact the business in question
directly. Report to the CFBP if you suffer fraud from a business that offers or
provides student loans, vehicle leases, a bank account, payday advances, credit
or debit card services, foreign currency exchange, money orders, mortgages, or
poses as debt or settlement collectors.
- Social Security Administration,Office of the Inspector General
The SSA, Social Security
Administration, is found in the OIG, Office of the Inspector General, and it
regulates the awarding and claiming of U.S. social security benefits. Report a
scam with a fax, a phone, through the mail, or on their dedicated website. They SSA governs fraud
concerning Social Security only, so turn to them if you know of a Social
Security recipient collecting their payments while living out of the U.S.,
making, buying, or selling Social Security cards, collecting a deceased
person’s Social Security checks, or someone impersonating an employee of the
SSA.
