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If you received an email from a sender posing as Public Health Ontario offering you next steps for signing up for a vaccine certificate or asking for your private health information: Do not open it or click on any links.
*A phishing scam is an attempt to deceive you into giving sensitive information to someone posing as an individual or company that you know .
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Hoaxes And Urban Legends
Urban legends multiply and grow with each telling creating distorted, exaggeratedand sensationalized stories. Email accounts can become plagued with spam mail falselywarning about frauds, child abductions and money requests.
Hoaxes are created with the purpose of deceiving people. Hoaxes are perpetratedas practical jokes, to cause embarrassment, or to provoke social change.
Ignoring hoaxes and urban legends can sometimes be difficult. Often stories canseem very real and emotional. To check the validity of a story visit these sites:
How To Report A Scammer To The Police
If youve ever been scammed, you may feel hopeless. Scam artists have many tactics up their sleeves, from selling counterfeit goods to stealing your information online. Sadly, the majority of people have found themselves on the receiving end of a scam, unsure about how to find justice. But fortunately, there are ways you can fight back, including reporting the incident to the police. In this guide, we will discuss reporting a scammer to the police, as well as how to find justice through the Federal Trade Commission and Internet Crime Complaint Center. If youve been scammed, read on to find the right solution for you.
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How Do I Get My Money Back From A Scammer
There are a couple of avenues you can take if you are trying to get your money back after a scam. The most efficient way is to report scams immediately to your banks fraud department if you had money stolen from you on a credit or debit card.
The FTC focuses on stopping businesses who use scams to make money. They also work to get customers refunds for any money lost from scams. If you file a report, the FTC cannot promise you will get your money back, but if there are enough scams from one company, they will make it a priority to shut them down and get customers their money back.
Are You The Victim Of Mischief Theft Vandalism Or Graffiti
You can complete a police report online without having to go to the local station. If the offence did not take place in the Montréal Island area, you will have to contact the local police department where it occurred.
If there was a suspect or witness, or if the incident had a hateful connotation,
If you have been a victim of a telemarketing fraud or pyramid sales scheme, you should contact the RCMP.
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To report a hate incident, . |
IMPORTANT!
Since November 29th, 2018, hit and run reports that do not contain investigative elements cannot be submitted using the SPVM online report. From now on, citizens have to contact directly their insurance company.
5 types of reports may be done online.
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Theft |
| See pictures specifications |
After submitting the report, a temporary number will be automatically sent to you by email. All communication will be done by email. Your report will be reviewed and if any changes are required, you will be sent a request for changes. Once the report is corrected and approved, you will receive an official event number by email, as well as a PDF copy of the report.
Make sure you have a valid email address as well as the date and location of the crime and information on the vehicle involved, if applicable.
If you meet these criteria and the type of incident that occurred appears on the list above, you may file your report.
Avoid using special caracters when writting your report, such as /*+< > . Those may cause an error when subitting your file.
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How Filing A Report Helps Protect You
Why is it important to report identity theft? If you are a victim of identity theft, it means someone has taken your personal information and used it to commit fraud in your name.
Heres how filing a report helps:
- It acts as a declaration of your innocence.
- It helps start the investigation.
A police report serves as sworn statement that you were not responsible for any crimes the thief committed using your name. If someone accuses you of a crime committed in your name, you can show them your sworn statement.
Filing an Identity Theft Report at IdentityTheft.gov serves a similar function, in most cases. Its an official statement about the crime.
Important to note: The FTC recommends filing an Identity Theft Report first, and including it when you file a police report.
Keep in mind, with either report, youre legally obligated to tell the truth to the best of your knowledge. If you dont, you could face criminal penalties.
Steps to take when reporting ID theft to the police
If you decide you want to report identity theft to the police, here are steps you can take.
- A copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report
- A government-issued photo ID
- Proof of your address, such as a mortgage statement or utilities bill
- Any proof you have of the theft, such as credit card statements, IRS notices or collection notices
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Financial Service Scams Including Mortgages And Insurance
Almost all financial services services that deal with shares, credit, insurance, mortgages and soon on should be authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
If you are targeted by an organisation trying to give you these kind of services, you can report them to the FCA for investigation.
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Freezing Your Credit And Placing Fraud Alerts
Place a credit freeze with each of the three major credit reporting agencies . This will protect you from having credit cards or other accounts opened fraudulently. The credit bureaus have three business days after receiving your request to place a freeze on your credit report. There may be a small fee to freeze your credit with each agency.
Learn more about freezing your credit and placing fraud alerts.
What Can You Do If You Get Scammed
If you have recently been scammed, take comfort in knowing that there are multiple resources out there to help. However, scammers come in all shapes and sizes, and reporting them may look different depending on the crime. If youve been scammed over the phone, the process of reporting it will look a bit different than if you have been scammed on a website or by a local scam artist.
Regardless of the details of the crime, you will want to notify your bank immediately if a debit or credit card was used to make the fraudulent purchase. When you call, ask to speak to the fraud department. The fraud representative will ask you several questions about the scam, such as when it took place, how much money you have lost, and if you have noticed any other suspicious transactions that resemble fraud. Many banks will investigate on your behalf and reimburse you if they find the purchase was indeed a scam.
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How To File A Police Report For Identity Theft On Your Own
There are several methods available when it comes to filing a police report. Aside from online reporting, you can generally file a report by phone or in person. You could face severe criminal fines as well as civil penalties for filing a false report, regardless of the method chosen.
| In-Person | Visit your local police department to file a fraud report in person. You can generally do so 24 hours a day however, that does not mean that the process will be quick and easy. In fact, you could incur an extended wait time if officers are currently involved in more urgent matters. |
| Over the Phone | It is sometimes possible to file a police report for identity theft over the phone. To do so, contact your local agency and ask to speak with their white collar crimes division. You could be connected right away, but if all officers are busy you will need to wait for a return phone call. |
| Having an Officer Visit | If you are unable to visit the police precinct in person, you could request an officer be dispatched to your location. When doing so, keep in mind that you could experience a significant wait time. Officers must handle more urgent matters such as a crime in progress before attending to routine police reports such as those regarding identity theft. |
Can You File A Police Report On A Scammer
If you have fallen victim to a scam, your local police department should be able to help along with the resources mentioned above. 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. Make sure you are able to provide them with information about the incident, from bank statements to credit card charges, emails, and phone call history. If you have any information about the scammer, such as their physical appearance, the sound of their voice, phone number, or IP address, be prepared to share it with the authorities.
Upon reaching out to the police, they will ask you for the information they need to file the report. Be sure to make a note of which officer files the report and their contact information in case you need to follow-up. Depending on what kind of scam has taken place, your local authorities may not be able to catch the scammer. In this case, they should be able to provide you with additional resources to help. Sometimes, your local police department will direct you to a state consumer protection office for scams related to banking, insurance, investments, and household utilities.
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What Is Required To File An Online Report
In addition to filing the report, you may need to provide certain documentation. What type of documents do you need to file a police report for identity theft? The exact documents will vary by the department as well as the type of fraud . A few of the documents you may be asked to supply include:
- Bank or credit card statements
- Witness statements, if applicable
- An identity theft affidavit from the Fair Trade Commission
- Your personal contact information
Use The Id Theft Affidavit
Creditors may ask you to fill out fraud affidavits. The Federal Trade Commissions ID Theft Affidavit is accepted by the credit bureaus and by most major creditors. Send copies of the completed form to creditors where the thief opened accounts in your name. Also send copies to creditors where the thief made charges on your account, to the credit bureaus, and to the police. The form is available on the FTC Web site at ww.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/resources/forms/affidavit.pdf. File a complaint of identity theft with the FTC. See their Web site at www.consumer.gov/idtheft The FTC keeps a database of identity theft cases that is used by many law enforcement agencies.
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Immediate Steps To Take
- File a report with the police/sheriff in the jurisdiction in which you live and get a copy of the report for the credit reporting agencies, banks and credit card companies. You can file the report at the police station or file online.
- In Denver, you can file at www.denvergov.org/policereport.
- You can also complete the ID Theft Affidavit provided by the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.
- Consider placing a Security Freeze or Fraud Alert on/in your credit reports. See below.
Replacing Lost Or Stolen Identification
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Reporting To The Federal Trade Commission
Reporting To Government Agencies
If your identity is stolen, you may need to request new or updated documentation with different government agencies.
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If you believe someone has applied for unemployment benefits using your personal information, use our secure fraud reporting form to alert us or call the DUA customer service department at .
- Registry of Motor Vehicles Request a new license if yours was lost or stolen
- Social Security Administration: Request a replacement card if your Social Security card was lost or stolen. Under certain circumstances you might need to request a new Social Security number.
- United States Postal Inspection Service: Notify the U.S. Postal Inspection Service if you think an identity thief has filed a change of address with the post office. Contact your local postmaster to make sure that all mail in your name comes to your address.
- The State Departments Bureau of Consular Affairs: If your passport was stolen, complete this online form to report the loss or theft and replace your passport.
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Reporting Cybercrime In Canada
If youre based in Canada, then you can contact the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. The centre provides resources for reporting various online scams and abuses. They also provide you with a point of contact for serious cases of cybercrime.
In the case of the exploitation of children, Canada has the Cybertip service which is anonymous.