Why It Is Important To Report A Scam
Reporting scams helps the authorities to get a better understanding of how scams are being done so they can be stopped.
Notifying government agencies can work to protect other citizens from a similar fate, as public awareness campaigns help to alert others to the scam. Importantly, if you have lost money or had your identity compromised you are likely a victim of crime and you have every right to report it to the police.
Many agencies collaborate to stop internet scammers the more information they have, the better. You can report the scam to the below agencies:
- The Internet Crime Complaint Center will refer your complaint to the relevant law enforcement agency.
- The Federal Trade Commission also networks with relevant authorities and will advise on the next steps to take. You may also make a report over the phone by calling the FTC Consumer Response Center on 1-877-FTC-HELP .
- Ecommerce.gov specializes in scams and fraud that relates to foreign companies and transactions.
- The Department of Justice can help you to determine any additional agencies should be notified of the scam and its impact on you.
- The Anti-Phishing Working Group the APWG help to unify the global response to cybercrime.
- The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team is a flagship cyber-defense and and incident response center.
To help you protect your identity, you can refer to these government services for advice and action steps to take after being scammed.
Report Scams To The Federal Government
You can report scams to the federal government. Your report may keep others from experiencing a scam. Government agencies use reports of scams to track scam patterns. They may even take legal action against a company or industry based on the reports. However, agencies usually dont follow up after you report, and can’t recover lost money.
Do not use the agency contact information included in scam messages. Use contact information in the federal agency directory to report other government imposters.
Report Disaster and Emergency Scams
Report coronavirus scams and other scams about disasters and emergencies.
Use the National Center for Disaster Fraud’s web complaint form or call .
Find more information on identifying and reporting coronavirus scams.
Report Most Common Scams
The Federal Trade Commission is the main agency that collects scam reports. Report your scam online with the FTC complaint assistant, or by phone at . The FTC accepts complaints about most scams, including these popular ones:
- Phone calls
- Demands for you to send money
- Student loan or scholarship scams
- Prize, grants, and sweepstakes offers
The FTC also collects reports of identity theft. Report identity theft online at IdentityTheft.gov or by phone at .
Report Online and International Scams
Report IRS or Social Security Imposter Scams
Scammers often pretend to work for the Social Security Administration or Internal Revenue Service . Common signs include:
Protect Yourself From Phishing Attempts
The best way to protect yourself from phishing attempts is to stay abreast of current threats, be cautious online and take steps to block malicious or unwanted messages from reaching you in the first place.
Take the following steps to protect yourself from phishing attempts:
- Dont click on links in emails or messages, or open attachments, from people or organisations you dont know.
- Be especially cautious if messages are very enticing or appealing or threaten you to make you take a suggested action.
- Before you click a link , hover over that link to see the actual web address it will take you to . If you do not recognise or trust the address, try searching for relevant key terms in a web browser. This way you can find the article, video or web page without directly clicking on the suspicious link.
- If you’re not sure, talk through the suspicious message with a friend or family member, or check its legitimacy by contacting the relevant business or organisation .
- Use a spam filter to block deceptive messages from even reaching you.
- Understand that your financial institution and other large organisations would never send you a link and ask you to enter your personal or financial details.
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How To Recognize Phishing
Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information. They may try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day and theyre often successful. The FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that people lost $57 million to phishing schemes in one year.
Scammers often update their tactics, but there are some signs that will help you recognize a phishing email or text message.
Phishing emails and text messages may look like theyre from a company you know or trust. They may look like theyre from a bank, a credit card company, a social networking site, an online payment website or app, or an online store.
Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. They may
- say theyve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts
- claim theres a problem with your account or your payment information
- say you must confirm some personal information
- want you to click on a link to make a payment
- say youre eligible to register for a government refund
- offer a coupon for free stuff
Heres a real world example of a phishing email.
Imagine you saw this in your inbox. Do you see any signs that its a scam? Lets take a look.
Here Is How To Report Fraudulent Emails Worldwide
Use the links below to contact the proper authorities regarding your scam emails. Taking the first step to report to the right source is an excellent way to combat scam emails. When you enter your information, be as detailed as possible to get the best outcome:
- Report scam emails in the United States HERE
- Report Scam Emails in Canada HERE
- How To Report Scam Emails in the United Kingdom HERE
- Report Scam Emails in Australia HERE
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If You’re Prompted To Download Software
Use extreme caution if you download content from the internet. Some downloads found on the internet may not contain the software they claim to, or may contain software that you didn’t expect or want. This includes apps that ask to install configuration profiles that can then control your device. If installed, unknown or unwanted software may become intrusive and annoying and could even damage your Mac and steal your data.
To avoid unwanted, fake, or malicious software, install software from the App Store or get it directly from the developer’s website. Learn how to safely open software on your Mac or remove unwanted configuration profiles from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
1. If you forward a message from Mail on your Mac, include the header information by selecting the message and choosing Forward As Attachment from the Message menu.
2. To confirm the destination of a link on your Mac, hover your pointer over the link to see the URL. If you can’t see the URL in the status bar in Safari, choose View > Show Status Bar. On your iOS device, you can touch and hold the link.
How To Report A Gmail Account
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Spammers are some of the most annoying people on the internet, and unfortunately many spammers will create Gmail accounts to send out their spam. Luckily, you can report these accounts to Google and they will be banned.XResearch source While this only stops the spammers temporarily, it does help derail their efforts and it causes them frustration. You can report a Gmail account if it is being used to, send bulk mail or spam, distribute malware or viruses, deceive or defraud people, exploit children, violate copyright laws, preform illegal activity, or if the account was created to circumvent a previous block.XResearch source This wikiHow article will show you how to report a Gmail account to google.
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What To Do If You Get A Phishing Email
Respond To Scam Emails On A Federal Level
If you are involved in an interstate email scam or a federal email scam crime, you will need help at a higher level. State-level or local officials and authorities may not be able to help you with a scam email on this level. Read more to learn more about how to react to federal-level scam emails.
Contact the FBI first concerning federal scam emails. You can reach the Federal Bureau of Investigation by phone at 324-3000. You can also access the FBI website to learn more about scam emails.
It is essential to remember that it may be difficult to recover your material possessions or lost money when dealing with scam emails on a federal level. You can also help by contributing to larger databases that can help other victims avoid the same problems. The conclusion is that you shouldnt expect to have your scam solved by a federal agency.
Always be careful when contacting government officials or agencies who may have contacted you first via email. A common tactic is to spoof or fake government or departmental phone numbers and email addresses to victimize unknowing people further.
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How To Report A Phishing Scam Or A Spam Email
Phishing scams are an attempt to steal information, such as usernames, passwords, or other personal information, by sending official-looking emails from University administration, the IRS, or other professional entities. A good rule of thumb is that any email that asks for personal information is likely fraudulent.
Current phishing examples seen on campus – Check this page for some recent messages. If you get a suspicious email but don’t see it listed here, do NOT assume it is safe.
Spam emails are more often than not attempting to sell products or drive traffic to a website. Spam emails are considered more of an annoyance than malicious, though websites linked in spam emails could contain malware or viruses. You can delete the messages, create a rule to mark as spam, or report directly to Microsoft .
Report Suspicious Emails Phone Calls Text Messages Or Webpages
We take fraud, scam,phishing and spoofing attempts seriously. If you receive correspondence you think may not be from Amazon, please report it immediately.
Suspicious Emails or Webpages
For suspicious webpages, copy & paste the link into the email body.
If you can’t send the email as an attachment, forward it.
Note: Sending the suspicious email as an attachment is the best way for us to track it.
Note: Amazon can’t respond personally when you report a suspicious correspondence to , but you may receive an automatic confirmation. If you have security concerns about your account, please contact us.
Suspicious Phone Calls or Text Messages
Report any suspicious phone call or text message to the Federal Trade Commission .
To report a phone call or text message visit ftc.gov/complaint and follow the onscreen assistant.
If you’re concerned about your account security, go to Protect Your System for tips and recommendations.
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Current Email Scams Reported At Uh
Job ScamsUH students have reported receiving job scam emails. Visit the Job Scam Emails page for information on recognizing and avoiding these scams.
IRS Tax Refund Scam
The Internal Revenue Service issued a warning of tax refund scam emails targeting individuals with a “.edu” email address. View the full IRS statement here. If you receive a suspicious phishing email to your UH email account, notify
COVID-19 Cyber Scams
The Department of Homeland Security has issued advisories warning of scams involving COVID-19. If you receive a suspicious phishing email to your UH email account, notify
Phishing
- – No current phishing scams reported.
———————————Report email scams to UHS Information Security at or 832-842-4695.
Install Or Update Your Antivirus Software
Antivirus software is designed to prevent malicious software programs from embedding on your computer. If it detects malicious code, like a virus or a worm, it works to disarm or remove it. Viruses can infect computers without users knowledge. Most types of antivirus software can be set up to update automatically.
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How Do I Report Immigration Fraud
Call the Canada Border Services Agency Border Watch Toll-Free Line at 1-888-502-9060 to report:
- suspicious activity at the border
- a marriage of convenience
- a person who has given false information on any immigration application or
- a person wanted on an immigration warrant
What you tell the tip line is private. Your identity stays protected.
Emergency Scams Aka Grandparent Scams
These scams involve someone claiming to be your friend or family member in dire need. They prey on your emotions by inventing a situation that you must respond to immediately with your money. While these scams are often conducted over the telephone, they can also happen via email or social media messaging.
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Online Marketplace Purchase Scams
Online transactions, whether you are the buyer or the seller, require caution to make sure you avoid scams. This is particularly true if you are engaging in a person-to-person transaction, perhaps through Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or eBay rather than purchasing through an online store.
When you are buying items advertised online, make sure that the seller actually has possession of the goods being sold, and hasnt just copied photos someone else has posted online. If possible, view the product in-person before purchasing, but take appropriate safety precautions including meeting in a safe, well populated place and bringing a friend.
If you must purchase an item without viewing the item in person, take additional precautions: