Whether you
observe a scam or are a victim of one, it is essential to report it to law
enforcement agencies. Some scams can be categorized in more than one way. The
online complaint tools of the FTC/Federal Trade Commission is one of the US
based agencies for reporting the scam to the government. Internet scams can
also be reported at the US Internet Crime Complaint Center at the Internet
Fraud Complaints Center. The FBI is also the right choice for reporting
international scammers.
If you want to report a scammer, you need to
contact the specific agency directly. To protect finances and identity, it is
essential to report a scammer. Scam or con artists across the world decamp with
cash and valuable personal information from millions of people annually. They
can also lure victims to send money or reveal personal information.
Internet
crime schemes target victims using numerous methods. These include:
●
Internet auction fraud
●
Credit card fraud
●
Investment fraud
●
419/Nigerian letter Fraud
Internet
auction frauds are scams involving incorrect representation of the product for
sale on the internet auction site or no delivery of merchandise.
Credit card
fraud takes place when there is use of stolen credit or debit card or card
number by a scammer to obtain either property, goods or money.
Investment
fraud is an offer based on fake claims where the scammer will attempt to either
get you to invest or fund him/her for a project that never takes off, or buy
counterfeited securities.
Nigerian
letter/419 fraud is associated with the violation of Section 419 of the
Nigerian Criminal Code. This scam is an advance fee scheme where fraudsters
send communication to the victim pretending to be someone known and ask for
cash.
If you fall
prey to any of these schemes, take concrete steps to report a scammer. If you
have been a victim of Internet fraud/online cybercrime, report a scammer to the
Internet Crime Complaint Center/IC3.
Steps You Can Take
#1 Know Your Seller
If you
don't have an idea of who you are purchasing from online, carry out research
and investigate them thoroughly.
#2 Protect Personal Information
Never give
out private or confidential/sensitive information to someone who is not verified
or accredited.
#3 Don't Respond
Another
important top is to never respond to an email, or a pop up or website one is
linked to from an unverified email or web page.
#4 Guard Your Privacy
Protect
your computer and sensitive data from misuse, theft and destruction taking
important basic precautions. Check out how to recognize scams and avoid them.
Place defenses against scammers, identity thieves and hackers and protect both
your information and your devices online. Use anti-virus software for the best
results.
How to Report a Scammer: Key Organizations
United States
Besides the
ICC which refers Internet related criminal complaints to state, local,
international or federal law enforcement officials, econsumer.gov also tracks
online transactions with foreign companies.
Department
of Justice in the US can report computer, internet related or intellectual
property crime to the concerned agency, in association with the crime's scope.
Report a scammer to the DOJ for action, regardless of whether it is an
international or national scam.
If you have
been targeted by work at home scams or online frauds involving companies, head
to the Better Business Bureau and lodge a complaint.
United Kingdom
National
Fraud Intelligence Bureau is the right organization, if you want to report a
scammer for an email scam, telephone scam or any other online fraud.
Other Agencies
Craigslist
has a dedicated page for fraud prevention and detailed steps on how to report
if you have been defrauded by a person on Craigslist. Avoiding scams page at
Craigslist contains detailed information on how to report a scammer and avoid
frauds.
eBay
Security Center is a general marketplace safety site which helps you to report
auction fraud and scam to proper authorities and also provide a way for law
enforcement to check if stolen merchandise is being auctioned or one is a
victim of property theft.
Facebook
Security Site: This helps to report a scammer in relation to fraud, spam, scam,
rogue apps, account hacks and other threats originating from Facebook.
