How to Report International Credit Card Fraud

While the Internet has opened up the world in a positive way, it has also created an epidemic of fraud. Organized crime can operate in any country, stealing your personal information and using your credit card without your knowledge. Government agencies are busy fighting international fraud, so do what you can to help. If you believe you have been a victim of international credit card fraud, contact the appropriate authorities and explain what happened. You will still need to contact your credit card agency to stop the charges.

Instructions

1. Call your local police department and report the crime to the fraud center. Have them file a police report on this crime. This will help document your complaint and increase the likelihood of having authorities follow through with an investigation.

2. Contact your local FBI office. Check the FBI website to find the office nearest to you. If you have any email or physical documentation of the fraud, provide it to the FBI. The FBI website lists several common scams that you can review. See if any of the situations are similar to yours. The more you can gather about how the fraud happened, the more effective the FBI can be in helping you.

3. File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center. The FBI, NW3C (National White Collar Crime Center) and the BJA (Bureau of Justice Assistance) have joined together to fight Internet scams, creating the Internet Crime Complaint Center website. You will need to enter your name and other personal information, along with as much description as possible about your fraud incident.

4. Report the incident to the foreign police if you know for certain where the credit card fraud occurred. For instance, if your card was stolen on a trip, you should report it to the foreign police. Most offices have a translator for victims who do not speak the local language. If you have trouble communicating, contact the U.S. Embassy in that country. Many embassies have a fraud prevention unit.

Tips & Warnings

• Call your credit card company and freeze your accounts so that no more purchases can be made on the stolen card. Otherwise, the criminals can continue abusing your credit card.

References

• Internet Crime Complaint Center: File a Complaint
• Consumer Fraud Reporting: How to Report a Fraud or Scam
• Federal Bureau of Investigation: Common Fraud Schemes

Resources

• Federal Bureau of Investigation: Your Local FBI Office