How to Report an Identity Theft Scam

Internet identity scams can cause trouble.

Knowing how to report identity theft can help put the lid on the wrongful use of your personal information. Who you report to often depends on where the scam took place and what kind of scam it was. However, the reward for reporting promptly is that you may avoid complete financial ruin. There is a bonus, too. By reporting someone who tried to defraud you, you can save others.

Instructions

IRS Scams

1. Watch for IRS-related scams. One scam is an email that directs you to a real-looking fake IRS website, saying you will get a refund if you follow the directions. At the website, you are asked for your personal information, which the IRS does not do on its real website.

2. Report by submitting your claim in person or through the mail at Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Hotline, P.O. Box 589, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, DC, 20044-0589, or by phone. You can call toll free to 1 [phone]. You can also fill out an online form at the TIGTA website, but it is not guaranteed to be private.

3. Explain in your complaint exactly what happened, including information such as any email address used by the scammer to entice you and the website address you are drawn to.

Mail Identity Scams

1. Be aware of mail scams that are out there. One is a plea for help with current relief efforts that actually comes from scammers wanting to make money. Another is an announcement that you won the lottery but have to send in some money for processing.

2. Keep copies of everything if you receive one of these letters, in case they are needed for an investigation. Go to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service website and fill in their form to report the identity theft scam. Report the scam, whether you were actually defrauded by it or you simply received it in the mail and wanted to warn others.

3. Add additional information if more comes up through a special online form at the USPIS website. This could be a second contact from the scammer, for example. Use the reference number that was given when your first complaint was answered.

Internet Identity Scams

1. Watch out for Internet identity fraud when you are online. Craigslist, for example, has a special warning about how to avoid Internet scams. The scams can be phishing scams, used to get your personal information by providing links to phony websites, for example.

2. Report the scam to the FBI if you are actually defrauded. File your complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Fill out your name and location, along with any information you have on the scam.

3. Alert all of your credit card companies. Contact all three credit bureaus to notify them that you are a victim of an identity scam.

References

• Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
• U.S. Postal Inspection Service: Identity Theft via the U.S. Mail
• FBI: Internet Crime Complaint Center

Resources

• Consumer Fraud Reporting