A scam (aka a scam) is a sneaky attempt to get you to pay for things or services you don't need, want, or understand. Scams can be hard to spot, but reporting a scam once you've been a victim can help you get back what you've lost. Even if you don't lose anything, you should still report the scam to prevent others from becoming the next victim.]
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Method 1 of 2: Reporting Internet And Phone Scams
Step 1. Report fraudulent emails to your email provider
Most email service providers have some sort of spam filter or spam section in your inbox. Any fraudulent or deceptive schemes that are not automatically forwarded to this section can be submitted manually by clicking the "Spam" or "Report as Spam" button at the top of the email or inbox. When you take this action, the email provider is usually automatically alerted.
If the provider can't be reached, you can go to the email provider's help section and find the customer support email address to forward to the scam email
Step 2. For fraudulent financial transactions, write to the Secret Service office
If you receive one of the "princes of Nigeria" emails offering large sums of money in exchange for assistance in financial transactions, forward or fax a copy of the email to the US Secret Service at [email protected] gov or call 202-406-5031. The Secret Service retains all these messages for planned investigation.
Step 3. Identify fake or undercover companies
If you receive an email from a company asking for personal information such as a Social Security Number, this is a sign that the email you received is fake and the company that sent it is not the real company. In this case, you should email or call the customer support of the actual company to let them know that someone else is trying to trick their customer.
Step 4. Take advantage of the fraud reporting service on the merchant community website
Internet auction sites and other sites where users buy and sell their own goods usually have a special section of the website devoted to reporting fraud. If you see a mailing that is clearly a scam, flag it and contact the fraud section of the website's customer support department.
Step 5. Write a letter or call the Federal Trade Commission regarding telemarketing scams
If a company calls making a suspicious offer, such as a free shipping, credit card, or loan offer, alert the FTC by going to their website and filing a complaint via the app and link on the FTC website.
The FTC can and should be contacted about any email and Internet scams you encounter, especially if these scams are aimed at obtaining your personal financial information
Method 2 of 2: Reporting Business And Tax Fraud
Step 1. Contact the Better Business Bureau for business fraud
The BBB handles all fraud reports for businesses and charities located in the United States and Canada. If you encounter business fraud, contact the BBB in the city and country of the business. If you don't know the exact location, visit the BBB website and fill out the "Report a Scam" form there. Fill in the contact information as completely as possible.
The BBB's main goal is to protect consumers against bad business. Reporting business fraud to the BBB means asking them to investigate the business. If the reported business practices prove to be fraudulent, the BBB will report them and warn other consumers to be careful
Step 2. Call the Homeowner's Hope Hotline, FTC, and Attorney General to report home loan fraud
The Homeowner's Hope Hotline can be reached at 1-888-995-HOPE and the FTC can be reached at 877-FTC-HELP. Contacting all of these organizations will help you get back what you lost to fraud and can also prevent others from falling victim to the same group of scammers.
Step 3. Report tax fraud to the Internal Revenue Service
If you discover that someone else has cheated taxes primarily through the use of an outside scheme or agreement, report it to the IRS Lead Development Center. You should primarily report the perpetrator of the fraud to the IRS. You can contact the Lead Development Center by fax at 949-389-5083.
Step 4. Alert the Food and Drug Administration of medical and drug fraud
Fraud regarding the illegal sale of prescription drugs or counterfeit medical treatments must be reported to the FDA. If you received this scam via email or the internet, send an email with as much information as possible to [email protected].
Step 5. Fill out the fraud complaint form for USPS in case of mail fraud
If you are a victim of mail fraud or someone is trying to trick you through the mail system, notify the United States Postal Service. It cannot resolve standard disputes between valid customers and companies, but it can and will act if company activity indicates fraudulent activity.
Step 6. Contact local law enforcement and the FTC for all other forms of fraud
If you lose money or personal information due to fraud, it is very important that you report it to local, county, or law enforcement officials. The Federal Trade Commission should also be alerted to any and all major scams seeking to steal your money.
Tips
- You can join a “Do Not Call” group to limit the number of telemarketing calls you receive. This will not stop but can limit all telemarketing scams.
- Spread it. There are lots of free blogs, message boards, and other internet communities on the internet for you to report any scams you come across so as to warn others. You can also browse this community to make yourself aware of other potential scams that others are also facing.
