How To Report Scam Calls To Police

How To Recognize Suspected Scams

The CRTC is aware of several suspected scams, and is publicizing them as a preventive measure. Current suspected scams include:

• Scammers offering vacation deals. Unsolicited phone calls claiming to be legitimate companies such as Air Miles or WestJet selling cheap vacations.
• . Unsolicited phone calls alleging that your Google Business listing is about to expire.
• Scammers offering free psychic consultations. Unsolicited phone calls claiming youve won a free psychic consultation and directing you to call a 1-900 number.
• How to spot a tech support scam. Tech support scammers use various techniques to trick people. Find out what you can do to detect fraudsters.

Report Scams And Fraud

If you notice suspicious activity in your neighborhood, or suspect someone is trying to commit fraud, report it immediately to your local police department.

• To check the history of a business or to file a complaint about a scam, contact the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office Consumer Hotline, 1-617-727-8400. You may also file consumer complaints through their Consumer Complaint form. The AGOs Elder Hotline can assist citizens over the age of 60.
• To file a complaint or ask questions, call the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation Consumer Hotline at 1-888-283-3757
• To report contractors, inspectors, insurance representatives, or survivors who may have defrauded the government after a disaster, call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline toll-free at 1-866-720-5721

Fraud Alert July 8 2021

The Department of Consumer Affairs has learned of an attempted scam aimed at licensees of DCAâs boards and bureaus. In the scheme, an individual falsely identifying themselves as an employee of the Acupuncture Board has contacted licensees and attempted to gather personal information.

If you receive a call from an individual claiming to be an employee of the Acupuncture Board and they attempt to gather personal information, please consider the following:

• If you receive a call, simply take down the callerâs information , let them know you will follow-up directly with the department/board/bureau, and end the call.
• You may also consider ending the call without explanation if it appears suspicious or to be a scam.
• Contact the board or bureau responsible for issuing your license. Contact information for all DCA boards and bureaus can be found via this webpage:
• If you donât know who to contact at DCA, call the Consumer Information Center at 952-5210 for assistance and to get directed to the appropriate entity.
• NEVER disclose any personal information, i.e. social security numbers, date of births, or credit/debit card numbers, without first taking steps to verify that the person requesting the information has a legitimate need for it.
• Be aware that DCA staff will never ask for credit/debit card numbers or information over the phone.

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First Report To The Ftc

The first step after you lock down your accounts and credit is to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission online at ftc.gov. Fill out the FTC ID Theft Complaint form, which will grant you some protection against fraudulent information on your accounts and credit report. The FTC will provide you with guidance as to how you can stem the negative effects of the fraud and what steps you should take next. The FTC recommends filing a police report.

Gather All Information About The Suspected Fraud

All information related to a scam might be useful as evidence. Here’s how you can help:

• Take note of the name of the person who approached you, what they were trying to get you to do, and when it happened.
• If they contacted you by telephone, write down the phone number they used.
• If the contact was online, make printouts or take screenshots of key web pages, such as those focusing on the product or service, the terms and conditions, and payment information.
• Write down or copy and paste the exact website address.
• If you were contacted by email, save a copy and take note of the senders IP address, if possible.
• If you found the website using a search engine like Google, provide the search terms you used and indicate whether you clicked on a link or banner ad.
• Keep your notes and all documentation, such as:
• receipts
• cancelled cheques
• printed or electronic copies of emails
• printed or electronic copies of web pages

Note:

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Responding To Fake Tech Support Requests

Reputable tech companies and real security warnings will never prompt you to call a phone number. A legitimate company will not contact you by phone, email, or text to tell you there is an issue with your computer.

If you believe you may have been scammed, consider the following actions:

• Contact your credit card company or bank right away to stop the transaction.

• If you paid an imposter technician with a gift card, contact the company that issued the gift card to cancel the transaction and ask for a refund.

• If you provide remote access to your device, run trustworthy security software to scan and delete anything that is identified as a problem.

• If you provided your user name and security password to an imposter tech support technician, change your password right away. If you use the same username or password for any other accounts, change those as well.

If you do believe there is a technical issue with your phone or computer, it is best to first update your computers security and software. If you find an issue or need further help, work with a company you know and trust.

It is important to report any tech scams you may encounter with the FTC. The FTC compiles information from various complaints and uses it to build cases against scammers. Keeping your security software up-to-date and blocking unwanted calls, texts, and emails can help you avoid encountering tech scams.

How To Report Fraud And Cyber Crime

If you or someone else is in immediate danger or risk of harm dial 999 now.

You can report fraud or cybercrime to Action Fraud any time of the day or night using our online reporting tool. Reporting online is quick, easy and can be done on any device.

The tool will guide you through simple questions to identify what has happened and our advisers are available on web chat 24 hours a day to give you help and advice if you need it. To access web chat just click on the red chat icon at the bottom of your device screen.

When reporting online you will be given the option to register, login to an existing account or continue as a guest.

• Track progress the progress of your report by clicking on My account and then My reports.
• Save and resume a partially completed report. To update previously submitted reports. Simply go to My account and then My reports. Select your report with a case number beginning NFRC and select the edit report button.

Please note, if you continue as a guest and do not register with us online you will not access to any of the features listed above. You will only receive updates by email or post.

You can also report to us by calling 0300 123 2040 Monday to Friday between 8am 8pm. If reporting by phone you will also be given the options to register as above or be a guest. Reports that are made online get treated with the same urgency as those made over the phone. If you are calling from abroad please call +44 300 123 2040.

Vulnerable victims

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Report The Scam To Other Organisations

You should also report scams to other organisations. This increases the chance of scammers being caught and stopped.

You should report all types of scams to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud.

Action Fraud can get the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau to investigate scams. They’ll also give you a crime reference number, which can be helpful if you need to tell your bank you’ve been scammed. Read our advice on trying to get your money back after a scam.

It’s quickest to report a scam to Action Fraud online, but you can also report the scam by phone.

Action Fraud

Telephone: 0300 123 2040

Relay UK – if you can’t hear or speak on the phone, you can type what you want to say: 18001 then 0300 123 2050

You can use Relay UK with an app or a textphone. Theres no extra charge to use it. Find out how to use Relay UK on the Relay UK website.

Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm

There are other organisations you should report your scam to, depending on what’s happened.

Dont Trust Your Caller Id

Scammers can make any name or number show up on your caller ID. Thats called spoofing. So even if it looks like its a government agency like the Social Security Administration calling, or like the call is from a local number, it could be a scammer calling from anywhere in the world.

Learn more about unwanted calls and what to do about them at ftc.gov/calls.

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Prepaid Cards Bitcoin E

The Government of Canada will not demand immediate payment by Interac e-transfer, bitcoin, prepaid credit cards or gift cards.

If you are sure you owe the Government of Canada money, there are accepted methods of payment. For example, the Canada Revenue Agency has a Payment options for individuals and businesses page that lists accepted payment methods.

Travel Scams And Timeshare Scams

Scammers promise free or low-cost vacations that can end up costing you a lot in hidden costs. And sometimes, after you pay, you find out there is no vacation. In timeshare resale scams, scammers lie and tell you theyll sell your timeshare and may even have a buyer lined up if you pay them first.

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Dont Fall Victim To Fraud

Whether its Internet or mail fraud, deceptive telemarketing or identity theft, fraud is a serious problem. York Regional Police wants to prevent you from becoming a victim through education and awareness.

Thousands of Canadians lose millions of dollars every year through frauds. Save your money and keep yourself from becoming a victim of fraud by learning how to identify a scam.

Report The Incident To The Financial Institution That Transferred The Money

If you have already sent money, notify the financial institution you sent the money to. This might be a money service business such as Western Union or MoneyGram, a bank or a credit union, a credit card company, or an Internet payment service provider. Tell them you are reporting fraudulent activity associated with their account.

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Reporting Shopping And Auction Site Fraud

Report the matter to the ACSC

If you believe you are a victim of a cybercrime and have reported this to ACSC, ensure you retain original copies of all available electronic evidence . You may be asked to provide this information if contacted by an Australian law enforcement agency.

Electronic evidence can include:

• copies of all email relating to the matter, including email received from the offender
• the emails should include the full Internet header
• a copy of the auction page, which should include, the username of the alleged offender, the item number and description of the item you bought
• bank or other transaction receipts

You should not delete any emails you have received from the alleged offender. Retain them on your computer in electronic form.

Obtain Proper Building Permits When Rebuilding

• Contact your local building inspectors office about permit requirements before starting repairs. Sometimes permit fees are waived after a disaster as part of the rebuilding process. The Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards encourages contractors to apply for permits on behalf of building owners.
• Schedule any necessary inspections. As part of the permitting process, local building inspectors must inspect the work being done to ensure it meets all relevant codes and standards.
• Document all work. Keep records of building permits, inspections, etc. for insurance and other record-keeping.

For additional information, see Home Improvement guidance from the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation .

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If Youve Been Scammed

If you think you may be a victim of a fraud or scam, there are some key steps you should take immediately to reduce your risk of losing more money, protect your personal information and avoid being scammed again.

You should:

• stop all communication with the fraudster or scammer
• report the scam or fraud to your local police, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and any regulatory bodies
• notify financial institutions and other companies where you have an account that may have been affected
• avoid making any major financial decisions until you feel youve taken action to secure your accounts
• put an alert on your credit report by contacting a consumer reporting agency, such as Equifax Canada or TransUnion Canada
• gather all records you have of the fraud or scam, such as:
• correspondence with the scammer
• financial statements

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Fraud Event Reporting Officer

The fraud event reporting officer receives and processes calls from people claiming to be victims of fraud and prepares the event report for investigation purposes. This officer also informs complainants on the procedure to follow and about other organizations that may help them in resolving their problems. This officer may also direct people to other legal recourse if fraud is not involved.

The officers responsibilities also include storing and disposing of, according to the defined standards, the various effects collected in investigations .

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What To Do Next

Keep copies of all reports you file, both with the police and with the FTC, as they may be needed again to combat new or reappearing fraudulent charges. You may want to provide copies to the credit reporting bureaus as part of your fraud alert file.

Tips

• If you’ve experienced fraud, your first step is to protect your finances by putting a fraud alert on your credit report and freezing or closing your bank accounts and credit cards. You can freeze your account by contacting your bank. To place a fraud alert on your credit report, contact one of the three credit reporting companies â Experian, TransUnion or Equifax. After you’ve secured your accounts and credit, report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission, then file a police report.

References

Reporting The Scam To The Fcc

Tip: If you racked up phone charges as a result of the scam, select “billing.” Your complaint will also be forwarded to your provider, who will have 30 days to respond.

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Beware Of The Jury Duty Scam

The U.S. Marshals Service along with the Dallas County Sheriffs Department are alerting the public of several nationwide imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be from the Dallas County Sheriffs Office, the U.S. Marshals Service Office, court officers, or other law enforcement officials. They are urging people to report the calls not only to their local Police Department, Sheriffs Office or U.S. Marshals Service office, but also to the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC has the ability to detect patterns of fraud from the information collected and share that data with law enforcement.

During these calls, scammers attempt to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to report for jury duty or other offenses. The callers tell victims they can avoid arrest by purchasing a prepaid debit card such as a Green Dot card or gift card and read the card number over the phone to satisfy the fine.

Legitimate court employees and other law enforcement officials will never call to solicit this type of personal or financial information from you. The Sheriffs Office wont ask for a credit/debit or gift card number or bank routing numbers or ask for funds to be wired for any purpose, said Marian Brown, Dallas County Sheriff If the caller is urging you to provide this type of information or any other personal or financial information, hang up and report the call to the your local police authorities and the FTC. You can even report to both agencies anonymously.

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 dont follow up after you report, and can’t recover lost money.

Do not use the contact information included in scam messages. Use verified contact information in USA.gov’s 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 the scam to the FTC online, 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 Social Security or IRS Imposter Scams

Scammers often pretend to work for the Social Security Administration or Internal Revenue Service . Common signs include:

• Robocalls

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