Scammed? How to complain if you are a victim of fraud on the Internet.

Published October 14, 2022

Internet scammer

Have you been scammed or do you know someone who has been scammed? Did you send $500 to someone by Western Union or Moneygram only to have him disappear? Did you try to help out a prince or widow who was thrown out in a coup and has a billion

Here is a list of resources you can use in order to bring the scammer to justice.

United States

  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
    Email: spam@ftc.gov
    Phone: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
    Online complaint form: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/FTC_Wizard.aspx?Lang=en
    Email them and send copies of your transactions (including emails with headers). Send a CC to 419.fcd@usss.treas.gov if it is a Nigerian scam email.

  • FBI/Internet Crime Complaint Center
    Phone: (800) 221-4424
    Online complaint form: http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx

  • FTC - Identity theft
    More information: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/defend.html

  • National Fraud Information Center/Internet Fraud Watch
    Phone: 1-800-876-7060
    Report form: https://secure.nclforms.org/nficweb/nfic.htm

  • Contact Local Police and let them know of the whole story, however embarrassing it may be.

Identity Theft or Phishing

If your information has been stolen, contact the three bureaus immediately.

  • TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
  • Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
  • Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013

Complain to the FTC at their identity theft hotline at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or TTY: 1-866-653-4261. You can also send a postal letter to

Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20580.

Stolen Checks/Cheques

  • National Check Fraud Service: 1-843-571-2143
  • SCAN: 1-800-262-7771
  • TeleCheck: 1-800-710-9898 or 927-0188
  • CrossCheck: 1-707-586-0551 or (800) 552-1900
  • Equifax Check Systems: 1-800-437-5120
  • International Check Services: 1-800-526-5380
  • CheckRite (800) 766-2748 *ChexSystems (800) 428-9623

Scammed by a Local Business?

Contact the Better Business Bureau

URL: http://lookup.bbb.org

Unauthorized Banking If you know of any fake banks operating in an unauthorized manner, contact the OCC.

  • Email: OCCAlertResponses@occ.treas.gov
  • Postal: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Enforcement & Compliance Division, MS 8-10, 250 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20219
  • Fax: (202) 874-5214

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Last Updated: October 14, 2022.     This post was originally written on December 09, 2010.