Reporting Fraud and Scams to the Proper Authorities
The act of reporting fraud and laying charges is quite different from the process of seeking restitution from the criminals. What they have in common though, is the labyrinth nature of determining the agency responsible for effective action.
In addition to reporting the crime to your local police, the state or provincial police, the RCMP, the FBI, the Secret Service, the post office, the phone company, the local paper and television station, the BBB, your credit card company, your bank, your Attorney General, the local and state/provincial/federal Department of Consumer Affairs, the SEC, or any and all other relevant securities administrators and regulatory agencies for each state and province, and country. The following agencies have a complaint tracking system to determine trends and gather evidence for prosecution.
Getting Out of Your Contract Before and After Three Day "Limit"
Though you may never see your money again, you can hopefully take some joy in seeing justice done. It is only by the cumulative response of angry victims that authorities will have the impetus to devote resources, such as forensic accountants to trace the money, and other costly manpower, to a particular operation. As well, if restitution is available, having your name recorded increases the chance of seeing some monetary recovery down the road.
The first step should be the fraud department of your local police. If that experience doesn't totally discourage you from proceeding further follow this list and contact each in turn until you give up or get satisfaction. As part of sentencing, criminals should be made to endure this administrative nightmare. As we gather more information on the most effective means to report these crimes this list will be modified to make your life just a little easier.
To ensure that your report is as complete as possible you should do a bit of investigative work on the perpetrator before notifying authorities. Fraud Investigation
If you determine that the criminals are operating outside your country be sure to report to that country's agencies as well as your own.
If you very industrious, and feel you are not getting anywhere, take the general allegations you have and put them in Affidavit format, complete with the specific statutory violations, you hand the government the case on a plate. This could put them in the position that they'd be publicly humiliated not to follow it up.
You could also put the thing together as a Case Prosecution Summary (the way agents present cases to the US Attorney's Office) and publish it on the Net.
Canadian Reporting Agencies for Fraud Victims
PhoneBusters - Reporting Canadian-based telemarketing frauds and Nigerian Fraud.
PhoneBusters is the central agency that collects information on telemarketing complaints throughout Canada and disseminates this information to the appropriate enforcement agency.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) seek to curb organized telemarketing crime in Canada through the joint operation of the PhoneBusters National Call Centre (PNCC) which is supported by members of the Deceptive Telemarketing Prevention Forum.
It collects consumer complaint information through its 1-888-495-8501 toll-free number. Fax number: 1 (888) 654-9426 e-mail info@phonebusters.com phonebusters@efni.com
The mandate of PhoneBusters is to prosecute key individuals in Canada involved in telemarketing fraud under the Criminal Code of Canada and includes facilitating prosecution by United States agencies through extradition, and by Industry Canada under the Competition Act.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has developed a central web-based crime reporting center entitled RECOL ('Reporting Economic Crime On-Line'). The objective is to offer citizens a single point of entry, via the phone, fax or Internet, to lodge a complaint concerning any frauds, traditional or Internet based, and have it directed quickly and efficiently to the respective law enforcement or investigative agency for action.
RCMP's Security Fraud Information Centre - e-mail Scam Contact
Competition Bureau of Industry Canada:e-mail 1-800-348-5358
Federal and Provincial Consumer Protection and Information for Scam Victims in Canada
BC Consumer Services - I can no longer find any consumer protection services ministry in British Columbia. They seem to refer all concerns to the RCMP.
Saskatchewan Consumer Information
Office de la protection du consommateur
Newfoundland Consumer Protection
U.S. Reporting Agencies for Victims of Fraud
Federal Trade Commission - KnowFraud Complaint Form
The FTC also receives over 10,000 individual pieces of spam every day from irate consumers who forward the deceptive e-mail to them at uce@ftc.gov
Internet Crime Complaint Center - FBI backed site for online fraud reporting.
Individuals who suspect possible corporate fraud may report suspicious activity to the FBI in Washington, DC, via a toll-free Corporate Fraud Hotline. The number is (888) 622- 0117. The Hotline is manned Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by FBI analysts.
The FBI also has a terrorist tip line which has been extended to include other serious crimes.
They have received over 600,000 tips from around the globe. Initially, almost 100% of the tips received were related to the terrorist attacks; however, now approximately 45% of all tips received are related to almost every other FBI criminal program, e.g., drug trafficking, organized crime, money laundering, pyramid schemes, child pornography, fugitives, bank robbery.
The operation is completely automated and paperless. Submitted tips are received immediately, reviewed within minutes and prioritized by trained Professional Support personnel.
Cross-Border E-Commerce Purchase Complaint Form - FTC initiated international effort ( econsumer.gov )
USPS Mail Fraud Complaint Form - use if the mail system has been part of the fraud. (solicitations, mailed payments, etc.) You can also download a postal fraud complaint form.
Securities Exchange Commission - U.S. investment scams
Securities Exchange Commission - e-mail Prime Bank complaints.
National Association of Securities Dealers - U.S. investment scams by members.
State Securities Regulators - U.S. investment scams / state links.
North American Securities Commissions ( Canada, U.S., Mexico )
If you have been victimized by one of the Nigerian Advance Fee schemes, please forward appropriate written documentation to the
United States Secret Service,
Financial Crimes Division,
950 H Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20001, or telephone (202) 406-5850 fax: (202) 406-8203
You can report this crime online to the U.S. Treasury DepartmentSecret Service ( Nigerian Frauds ) but they don't want your spam. Contact them directly if you suffered a substantial loss.
A list of local Field Offices for the Secret Service.
If you receive such a letter in the mail send it along to:
Inspection Service Operations Support Group
Two Gateway Center, 9th Floor
Newark, NJ 07175-0001
If you have somehow reached the stage of meeting with Nigerian scammers in the United States for collection of the marked currency and need to Locate an FBI field office.
National Consumers League - Fraud.org - Info placed in database accessible by law enforcement. 1-800-876-7060
Better Business Bureau - Directs you to specific branches for primarily consumer complaints.
Florida's Attorney General Charlie Crist has a 1-866-No-Scam hotline.
Get the Taxman After the Conman
Did the scammer report your losses as income or did they hide it somewhere? If you suspect any tax fraud activity, you can report it to the Internal Revenue Service toll free at 800-829-0433. You may even get a reward by filing a Form 211 with the IRS.
International Reporting Agencies
eConsumer.gov - Provides information on consumer protection laws in thirteen countries and offer consumers a way to file cross-border e-commerce complaints online.
United Kingdom Reporting Agencies
For those in the UK with no financial loss, examples of Internet '419' Advance Fee Fraud should be forwarded to your local fraud squad quoting 'NCIS West African Organised Crime Section' in your correspondence.
If you HAVE lost money or there is a UK connection to the 419 operation contact NCIS by phone at 020 7238 8012.
National Criminal Intelligence
Service, now the Serious Organized Crime Agency
PO Box 8000,
London SE11 5EN
Currently, businesses have no centralised police unit to report e-crime to. The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit (NHTCU) used to co-ordinate e-crime reports until it was subsumed into the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).
SOCA was formed in May 2006 as an amalgamation of the NHTCU, National Crime Squad (NCS), National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and a part of UK Immigration dealing with organised immigration crime (UKIS).
Metropolitan
Police
Specialist Crime OCU Fraud Squad
Wellington House, 67-73 Buckingham Gate,
London, SW1E 6BE
+44 (0) 20 7230 1220
Bogus Canadian Lottery Scam Complaints can be directed to:
European Enforcement Team
Fleetbank House,
2-6 Salisbury Square,
London, EC4Y 8JX
or e-mail euroteam@oft.gsi.gov.uk
As the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion do not include specific references to pyramid clubs the Advertising Standards Authority Limited (website inactive 12/08) are unable to advise as to their legality but they will look into complaints regarding mailings about such schemes if they are causing offence, misleading consumers or if there are issues regarding database practice.
Serious Fraud Office for 'serious and complex fraud' e.g. corporate and/or over 1 million pounds.
Financial Services Authority The regulatory body for the financial industry, site has some alerts including scams etc related to the financial industry.
Trading Standards Administrations - Responsible for fair trading. They have legal powers to stop scammers etc. They also offer advice for consumers on the phone or by email. This site is the central one and includes a post code search facility for the local offices (over 200 of them).
Premium Rate Phone Services Complaints - the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services ( Cramming ) Helpline: 0800 500 212.
For consumer complaints in the U.K. visit HowToComplain.
EUROPE
Sweden
The contact information for "the Nigeria letters" or "the Nigeria scam/fraud" in Sweden is:
Finanspolisen
Rikskrim
Box 122 56
102 26 Stockholm
which is the Financial Police of Sweden. "Rikskrim" is The
National Police.
Netherlands
Netherlands authorities are also interested in receiving copies of correspondence (pertaining to a Dutch address or telephone number).
KLPD, Financial Crimes Unit,
Post Office Box 3016,
2700 KX Zoetermeer,
The Netherlands,
Attention: C. Schep
voorlichting@klpd.politie.nl
Fraud form, use this form only to report a fraud case to the Dutch authorities if you have been the victim of these type of fraudulent practices.
I am seeking an English-speaking contact in The Netherlands to report the Nigerian syndicate operating there to the KLPD National Police Agency, National Criminal Intelligence Division or the Netherlands Police Institute.
SOUTH AFRICA
South African Police
South African Citizens and Residents
If you are a South African Citizen or Resident and have suffered NO financial loss, write "No financial Loss - For your Database" on the documents but if you are a South African Citizen or Resident and YOU HAVE SUFFERED A FINANCIAL LOSS, write "Financial Loss" on the documents you received and fax them to:
|
If anyone has received scam letters, has been the victim of, or has any information about an advance-fee fraud, they should contact Superintendent SC Schambriel, Commercial Crime Head Office, at 012-393-1203, fax: 012-393-1202, or by email: hq.commercial@saps.org.za. |
Individual progress reports will not be submitted to you where there has been NO loss.
Captain Harry Baatjies is commander of the 10-man 419-scam task team appointed to investigate the crime. Baatjies' team works closely with a co-ordinating office at police headquarters in Pretoria, headed by Superintendent Sicro Schambriel.
People who receive proposal letters they believe could be 419-scams are asked to forward the e-mail to hq.commercial@saps.org.za along with a note to say whether or not they have responded.
Anyone with information can contact Baatjies on 082-778-7899 or 011-870-5390 during office hours.
International Citizens and Residents wishing to report incidents of Nigerian scams.
Please fax correspondence, especially any banking data, so that it can be included in the Database. State what country you are sending from, and state whether there has been a Loss or there is No Loss. If there is a South African connection to the 4-1-9 operation, please clearly state exactly what that is and give details.
Do not expect to be contacted in either NO LOSS cases or in LOSS CASES without a South African connection.
Commercial Crime Branch
Rian Visser
PO Box 367
Rant-en-Dal
1751
Gauteng
South Africa
E-mail: 419scam@saps.org.za
Our Organized Crime Unit are concentrating on the 419 scam, and will be able to use all information to draw profiles and link suspects to cases.
Report 419 Fraud to South African Authorities
Ken Yeboah
Ghana Police
233 21 761734 (fax ) 233 21 761 272 (It must have Attention. Mr. Ken
Yeboah written on it).
In the event you find your family member is in trouble with a Nigerian scam in Ghana and require a local contact.
Do a search for "complaint form" in the search box at the bottom of the page to get up-to-date links to state forms and other sources that we may have missed.
For further info on the complaint process as well as private concerns which may assist you see:
Post your complaint online for all to see at the RipOffReport.
Reporting Fraud to your State's Attorney General
| State |
Phone |
Fax |
| AK |
907-465-3600 |
907-465-2075 |
| AZ |
602-542-4266 |
602-542-4085 |
| AR |
501-682-2007 |
501-682-8084 |
| CA |
||
| CO |
||
| CT |
860-566-2026 |
|
| FL |
904-487-1963 |
904-487-2564 |
| HI |
808-586-1282 |
808-586-1239 |
| ID |
||
| IL |
312-814-2503 |
312-814-5024 |
| IN |
317-233-4386 |
317-233-2162 |
| IA |
515-281-3053 |
515-281-6771 |
| KS |
913-296-2215 |
913-296-6295 |
| LA |
504-342-7013 |
504-342-8703 |
| MD |
410-576-6300 |
410-576-7003 |
| MA |
617-727-2200 |
617-727-3251 |
| MI |
517-373-1110 |
517-373-3042 |
| MN |
612-296-6196 |
612-297-4193 |
| MS |
601-359-3692 |
601-359-3441 |
| MO |
573-751-3321 |
573-751-0774 |
| MT |
406-444-2026 |
406-444-3549 |
| NV |
||
| NJ |
609-292-4976 |
609-292-3508 |
| NH |
||
| NM |
505-827-6000 |
|
| NY |
518-474-7330 |
518-473-9907 |
| OH |
614-466-3376 |
614-466-5087 |
| OK |
405-521-3921 |
405-521-6248 |
| OR |
||
| PA |
717-787-3391 |
717-787-8242 |
| SC |
803-734-3910 |
803-253-6283 |
| TX |
512-463-2191 |
512-463-2063 |
| UT |
801-538-1326 |
801-538-6306 |
| WA |
360-753-6200 |
360-664-0228 |
| WV |
304-558-2021 |
304-558-0140 |
| WI |
608-266-1221 |
608-267-2223 |
The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network offers an online complaint form. This is part of a joint project by 17 nations and will allow consumer protection agencies to spot current fraudulent schemes.
South Dakota residents - If you have been a victim of a scam contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986 or consumerhelp@state.sd.us
