How to Report Fraud to the Police Dept
Fraud is defined as willful misrepresentation for the purpose of taking advantage of another resulting in damage of some sort. There are various types of fraud, such as check fraud, computer fraud, mail fraud and wire fraud. Various statutes, such as the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) passed by Congress, are intended to dissuade perpetrators from committing this offense.
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Instructions
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Locate your city or county police department using an online database of U.S. Police Departments.
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Access the homepage of your local police department or consult a telephone directory to get its address and phone number. Call the police department and ask to speak to an officer, mentioning that you are a victim of fraud. Some police departments have specific task units dealing with white collar crimes. If your local police department does not, any officer should still be able to help.
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Provide specific details to the police officer about the fraudulent incident. You will need to provide information about the violator's identity and contact information if you know it, any evidence you have related to the fraudulent misrepresentation, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of any third parties who may have witnessed the incident or can testify to similar claims, and your full name, address and a reliable phone number. You may have to visit the police department in person to have an official report taken.
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Wait to be contacted by the investigator. Given the nature and complexity of white collar crimes, investigations can sometimes take take weeks or months. Do not expect to be contacted right away.
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Tips & Warnings
In addition to reporting fraud to the police, you may want to report the fraudulent misrepresentation to the FBI. Most fraud cases that involve the mail may constitute federal offenses that give the FBI some jurisdiction over the investigation. You can use the FBI Field Office location tool to locate your local FBI Field Office.
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Comments
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Did anyone receive a letter with a Royal ( Liverpooll ) postmark? I did and when I opened the envelope I found a check payable to me in the sum of $3,750.00. This was just a small fraction of my total prize. $230,000.00. All I needed to do was pay a small tax on my winnings, $1,850.00 via Western and then I would receive the balance of my winnings, $226,250.00. I was selected randomly by a computer for shopping in Wal-Mart, Sears, Costco, Stpaples, etc. I was cautioned not to try to negotiate the check until I paid my tax. I know this is a scam and I urge everyone to report it to the proper authorities.
