How to Report Scams Online

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

computer
telephone

Step 1

First and foremost make sure you are a victim of a scam online. Take every possible measure to contact the other party to receive the matter before taking any action. However, if you have tried to resolve the matter contact www.ic3.gov.; you will need to begin a claim. They specialize in investigating online fraud. Stay proactive with updating your case, whenever you get new information. You will be emailed a login and password, so keep it in a safe place. Do not expect to get instant results, please allow 5-8 months.
Step 2

Call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357. Be prepared to explain your situation to an operator, which will be typing everything out word for word. Also, ask them for their fax number so that you can fax your ic3.gov report to them. The Federal Trade Commission operator will then provide you with a reference number. Keep the reference number in a safe place.
Step 3

Contact the State Attorney General of State. You will fill out an online form in which you can also upload your ic3.gov report, and also enclose your Federal Trade Commission reference number. The Attorney General of State will send you a claim form in the mail (within 10 days) in which you will need to enclose your ic3.gov report and Federal Commission reference number. Also, write a hard copy of your claim and mail it to them.
Step 4

Lastly, contact www.report****-scams.com (a site that is dedicated to exposing online scams) where you can post your story for free. You will simply contact the administrator using the contact form. Your story will be posted within 3-5 business days (sometimes sooner.)