Whether you're just trying to warn others or if you've fallen victim to Internet fraud yourself, reporting an Internet scam is a vital part of shutting these criminals down. Depending on the type of Internet fraud, you've got several potential options for reporting Internet scams. In some cases, you'll want to contact local authorities for cases of Internet fraud. In other cases, you may want to use the FBI or other institutions for reporting Internet scams.
Report phishing scams to the real business.
The majority of phishing scams are based on financial institutions. If you're reporting Internet scams where people claiming to be a financial institution are trying to get your personal information, start by reporting them to the real financial institution. Most financial institutions have a procedure to report phishing scams, and it's in their best interest to get those criminals shut down very quickly. If you've got a phishing scam, start by reporting these Internet scams to the companies they're claiming to represent.
The FBI has a division for reporting Internet scams.
If you believe you've been a victim of Internet fraud or know someone who is, you can file a report directly with the FBI online. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) provides an online form you can use to file a complaint easily over the Internet. Reporting Internet scams to the FBI is a safe and easy way to launch an investigation into a specific Internet fraud instance. However, you can only use this method of reporting Internet scams if you or someone you know has been defrauded.
Some websites offer services for reporting Internet scams.
Some websites specialize in reporting Internet scams; in receiving reports from victims, and providing information to alert potential victims to Internet fraud. Websites such as Consumer Fraud Reporting offer information for people who think they may have encountered Internet fraud, and they accept reports of Internet scams and then help you direct them on to the appropriate authorities.
Contact your local police for reporting Internet scams.
While you wouldn't want to do it for every spam e-mail you receive, if you believe you've been a victim of Internet fraud, you can contact your local police department for details. In some cases, your local police department takes a report directly, but in other cases, the police may refer you to another source for reporting Internet scams. Regardless of how your complaint is handled, one of the first things you should do if you believe you've been the victim of Internet fraud is to contact your local authorities and ask advice on how to proceed.
If you've been a victim of identity theft, contact your financial institutions.
If you've been a victim of identity theft, it's vital that you contact your bank, credit card companies and even credit card reporting agencies to alert them to the situation. In some states, you do need to file a complaint with local authorities for identity theft.
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