Report a Fake (2024)

FAQs

Is it worth reporting a scammer? ›

It is generally best to file a police report on a scammer, reach out to your bank, and file a complaint with the appropriate federal agency as soon as possible after you have been scammed. To file a police report for a scam, you will need make a call to or visit the fraud division of your local police department.

Legal Recourse and Justice: The police can initiate investigations that may lead to arrests and legal action against the perpetrators. This not only brings about justice for victims but also serves as a deterrent for would-be scammers.

Contact the FBI at (202) 324-3000, or online at www.fbi.gov or tips.fbi.gov. Contact the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS, or online at www.oig.hhs.gov . Contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) online at www.ic3.gov.

Remember, the reward is between 15 and 25 percent of what the government actually collects. Because there are risks for reporting fraud against the government, you should talk to an attorney experienced with reward cases before you blow the whistle and report fraud.

Report a Scam to the FTC

If you experienced a scam — or even spotted one, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has the power to investigate and remove scam websites. It's free to report a suspicious website to us and it only takes a minute. By reporting suspicious websites, you can help us stop cyber criminals and protect others online.

If you or someone you care about is the victim of a fraud, scam or financial exploitation, you can report the fraud or scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Because all scams are different, you might have to reach out to a number of other local, state, and federal agencies depending on your situation.

If you've transferred money to someone because of a scam

This type of scam is known as an 'authorised push payment'. Your bank or building society should reimburse you if it's registered with the Lending Standards Board under their Contingent Reimbursem*nt Model Code (CRM Code).

REPORT THE SCAM.

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can't always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Can you send a scammer to jail? ›

Can you go to jail for scamming online? Yes, you can go to jail for online scams. The federal government takes online fraud very seriously, and it has a number of laws that make online scamming punishable by jail time.

Reporting scam incidents to relevant authorities, such as law enforcement agencies and consumer protection organizations, can initiate investigations and facilitate the tracking of scammers. Collaboration with legal experts can also expedite the process of tracing and apprehending fraudsters.

Why: Your reports can help us detect patterns of wrongdoing, and lead to investigations and prosecutions. The FTC enters reports it receives into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database that is used by civil and criminal law enforcement authorities worldwide. The FTC does not resolve individual consumer reports.

The number 333 is the Safaricom number for reporting fraudsters or reporting hoax messages. When you forward a message to 333, Safaricom's security team will investigate the message to determine if it is from a legitimate source, scam, or phishing attempt.

Door-to-door scammers will knock on your door, offering to sell you a product or service. Their main goal is to get you to pay money. They may use fear as well as concerns about money, living alone, and keeping up a home.

When you report to Action Fraud, your information is sent to the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), which is run by the police. The NFIB collates and analyses intelligence on fraud, identifying which lines of enquiry to pursue and passing the details on to local police forces.

If you've been a victim of fraud, identity theft, or deceptive business practices, you can report them to the Federal Trade Commission. In 2022 alone, the FTC was able to issue more than $392 million in refunds to people who lost money to illegal business practices.

Don't call back a number if your phone rings once.

Spam callers can hide international numbers with ID spoofing. These one-ring calls are bait — the fraud happens when you call back the spam number. If you must call back after a missed call, check the area code to ensure it's in the United States.

Simple incidents of opportunistic fraud may only take anywhere from a day to a week to close the book on. More sophisticated fraud cases – especially those involving fraud rings – can take months or even years, often requiring the assistance of law enforcement.