The Federal Trade Commission provides United States citizens
a safe web page for filing a fraud report with their Complaint Assistant Portal. Being afraid to
trust anyone after suffering fraud makes sense, but you need to reach out to
the appropriate agencies to report the scam and save your credit score before
it gets totally destroyed.
FTC’s Fraud Report
Categories
- Credit and Debt
The “Credit
and Debit” category encompasses all fraud involving credit score reporting,
credit cards, mortgages, payday and other loans. You can also file a fraud report if you witness illegal debt collection methods and phony debt management
or credit counseling offers.
- Education, Jobs, and Making Money
A criminal taking advantage of someone trying to better
themselves through education or extra work should not be taken lightly. File a
fraud report if you did not receive the services advertised when paying for an
online course, a for-profit university, scholarship, or diploma program. You
can also file a report under this category if you fell victim to a work-at-home
scam, Ponzi or pyramid scheme, chain letter, or bogus franchise offer. You can
even file a claim if a scam artist offers you a job, then asks you to pay for
the application or for training with no subsequent job or payment.
- Identity Theft
The FTC established a second online portal for all identity
theft complaints called IdentityTheft.gov. Choose this
website to file a fraud report that affected your telephone, utility, mobile,
checking, credit card, debit, or savings accounts, took out a lease or loan, if
the criminals claimed your tax, employment, or government benefits, or if they
obtained medical care or insurance with your identity.
- Mobile Devices or Telephones
This category
allows you to file a fraud report regarding fraudulent service from landed
telephone and mobile companies. Maybe you received a damaged product multiple
times and they will not fix it, or you question the validity of charges on your
monthly invoices. If you have trouble switching landline carriers or believe a
suspicious application to be downloaded by a mobile company onto your device
file your report here.
- Scams and Rip-offs
This category only
contains a few types of scams and rip-offs out there, but choose this one to
file a report if you fall victim to an impostor or romance scam, bounce a
counterfeit check, or lose money entering fictitious sweepstakes, prizes, or
lotteries.
- Unwanted Telemarketing, Text, or SPAM
File a complaint
under this category if you received unwelcome telemarketing calls to your
landline or mobile device (especially if you already signed up for the Do Not
Call list), unsolicited text messages, or spam electronic mail.
- Other
“Other” makes up
every other type fraud report available to victims. Pick “Immigration or Tax
Services” to report on green card lotteries and similar fraudulent immigration
and tax help. “Charitable Solicitations” covers all forms of charity fraud. “Magazines”
addresses issues with subscription and content of magazines. “Automobile” allows
you to report issues with leasing, financing, or renting an automobile and the
false advertising of a vehicle. Choose “Health and Fitness” for fraud
concerning dental, eye, and medical care, fitness centers, prescriptions, or
health services, products, and plans. File a claim under “Satellite and Cable
TV Providers” for service and advertising issues with those industries. Submit
an inquiry under “Grants and Scholarships” if you received a fake scholarship
or grant. Finally, you can file a complaint in “Travel, Vacations, or
Timeshares” when you experience more than the normal rip-off buying one of
these.
