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Should I Report A Scammer To The Police

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If Youve Been Scammed

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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
  • contact information the scammer used to contact you
  • websites and social media accounts used for the scam
  • any papers, marketing material or ads used for the scam
  • if the scam occurred in person, avoid touching documents that the scammer may have touched, and protect them with a plastic case or cover
  • change passwords to accounts that may have been affected, including social media sites
  • document your actions in a log
  • this log should include when you first started noticing the fraud , and if you contact law enforcement, financial institutions or other agencies
  • protect your devices if you used your computer, laptop or tablet to communicate with a scammer:
  • Do The Police Have To Record All Fraud Reports They Receive

    Yes. Action Fraud, like all other police forces in England and Wales has a duty to record crime that fulfills set criteria. This is documented in the Home Office Counting Rules for Recorded Crime , issued by the government. The rules state:

    All reports of incidents, whether from victims, witnesses or third parties and whether crime related or not, will, unless immediately recorded as a crime, result in the registration of an auditable incident report by the police. An incident will be recorded as a crime if, on the balance of probability:

    The circumstances of the victims report amount to a crime defined by law and

    There is no credible evidence to the contrary immediately available.

    A belief by the victim, or person reasonably assumed to be acting on behalf of the victim, that a crime has occurred is usually sufficient to justify its recording.

    How To Report Fraud

    Fraudulent or suspicious activity can be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, through its website at www.antifraudcentre.ca, or by telephone at 1-888-495-8501.

    Report instances of misleading or deceptive marketing practices to the Competition Bureau using the online complaint form or by telephone at 1-800-348-5358. If you are a victim of fraud, let your local police force know.

    If you decide to file a complaint, it is important that you keep any evidence you may have related to your complaint. Evidence may include, but is not limited to, the following:

    • cancelled cheques
    • certified or other mail receipts
    • chatroom or newsgroup text
    • printed or electronic copies of emails
    • printed or electronic copies of web pages
    • wire receipts
    • notes taken as events take place

    Keep evidence items in a safe location in the event that you are requested to provide them. This information may form an important part of any investigation. The information you provide could be used as evidence during a prosecution.

    Date modified:

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    Do You Have To Report Fraud To The Police

    No. In the UK there is no legal obligation to report fraud to the police or to any other body, unless you and/or your business are part of a regulated sector that has a duty to do so .

    Government encourages the voluntary reporting of fraud and cybercrime to law enforcement agencies, particularly Action Fraud, to help build a better national intelligence picture and to create advice to stop others from falling victim.

    Even if you havent actually lost any money to a fraudster you can still make an information report to Action Fraud to tell them about an unsuccessful attempt to scam or defraud you. The police encourage this as information may help to protect others from being defrauded.

    How Can You Protect Yourself

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    • always seek independent financial advice before making an investment
    • alert family and friends to this fraud, especially anyone who may have savings to invest
    • report suspected fraud to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, via www.moneysmart.gov.au or , or your local police – any information that can be provided such as company name, location and contact details will assist with subsequent investigations and enquiries
    • hang up on unsolicited telephone calls offering overseas investments
    • check any company you are discussing investments with has a valid Australian Financial Services Licence at www.moneysmart.gov.au
    • or call for further information

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    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.

    Why You Should Report A Scammer

    You may not suffer physical injury from fraudulent use of a credit card, identity theft, or a scam, but the emotional damage can be devastating. Not to mention the damage to your wallet! That’s why you need to know how to file a police report on a scammer in case you ever become a victim.

    Your insurance company won’t pay to repair your car if you don’t file a police report after a car accident. So how can you expect to repair the damage to your wallet or your reputation if you don’t report a scam or identity theft?

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    Questions You May Have About Consumer Fraud

    Why is financial exploitation under reported?+

    • Some people feel ashamed and embarrassed to say that they have been taken advantage of financially.
    • Some people may feel loyal to the person who has taken advantage of them financially, but is good to them in other ways.
    • Some people may feel fearful of retaliation or losing their independence after reporting the issue.
    • Some people may feel dependent on the care or assistance provided by the person taking advantage of them
    • Some people may blame themselves.
    • Some people may be in denial.
    • Some people are simply unaware that they are being exploited or do not know that they can report financial exploitation.

    What should you do if you or someone you know becomes a victim of financial exploitation or another form of elder abuse?+

    If you believe a crime has been committed or the person is in danger, call 911. You can also call your local law enforcement’s non-emergency number to start a police report.

    Follow the steps below if you do not believe it is necessary to involve the police at this time

    Install Or Update Your Antivirus Software

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    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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    What Are The Risks Of Reporting The Fraud To The Police

    Many victims who report fraud in the UK are critical that no action is taken even when suspects are known. This is especially so in the case of investment frauds such as boiler room fraud , Ponzi schemes and dating scams.

    When you decide to report fraud to the police, you are providing information that helps the police build a better intelligence picture that may prevent others falling prey to criminals. However, there is a likelihood that the police will not investigate your individual case, even when youve suffered a substantial loss.

    You should also be mindful that if the matter does go to crown court it may attract media attention. Publicity highlights the plight of victims and alerts others of the risk.

    Extent Of Identity Theft

    The extent of identity theft is hard to quantify as most victims do not know they are victims until their personal information has already been used, if at all. With increasing levels of fraud, financial institutions have become more experienced in identifying fraud, and can terminate fraudulent transactions often before the victim realises they are a victim.

    According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the scale and impact of personal fraud is hard to measure, due to issues of definition, awareness of victimisation, low reporting rates and inconsistent data recording practices among agencies that detect or deal with these incidents.

    The ABS conducted a national survey from July 2014 to June 2015 about Personal Fraud which covered Identity Theft.

    • In that 12 month period, an estimated 126,300 persons in Australia were victims of identity theft .
    • The majority of persons who experienced identity theft experienced a single incident only

    The credit agency VEDA conducted a similar survey in 2015 claiming that 17% of Australians were the victim of identity theft however the validity of this result is questioned due to a commercial interest by the company.

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    I’m A Victim Of Fraud What Should I Do

    If you’re a victim of fraud and have provided personal information and/or lost money:

    • Stay calm. Gather all information about the fraud, including documents, receipts, and/or copies of emails and/or text messages.
    • Place flags on all of your accounts.
    • Change all of your passwords.
    • Report the fraud to both credit bureaus .
    • Contact the HRPS Fraud Intake Office by dialing , or by dialing .
    • Report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll free at .
    • Depending on the type of fraud, or how it occurred, you’ll also want to report it to other organizations.

    The HRPS does not accept fraud reports through online reporting or via email.

    How To Report A Scammer To The Police

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    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 To Report A Scam

    If you or someone else is in immediate danger or risk of harm, phone 999 immediately.

    You should report fraud, scams and related cybercrime directly to Action Fraud unless you are requesting a call for service from the Police Service of Northern Ireland .

    If you report a scam, it gives important information to the authorities that can be used to warn other people.

    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

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    Report Fraud And Cybercrime

  • Coming soon: new cybercrime and fraud reporting system
  • Scams and cybercrimes can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.

    If you have been a victim of a scam, fraud or cybercrime, please contact your local police as soon as possible.

    It is also recommended that you report the instance of a scam, fraud or cybercrime, whether you are a victim or not, to the CAFC.

    Remember: It’s the role of your local police to investigate. The CAFC assists law enforcement through maintaining a central repository of information to assist with investigations. Learn more about the CAFC.

    Where Do I Report A Scammer

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    Once youve notified your bank, you should reach out to the authorities to report the scam. For those who have experienced website scams or fraud via an online purchase, reach out to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. This is a Federal Bureau of Investigations website. All you need to do to report the crime is provide the FBI with some basic information. Start by clicking File a Complaint. Then, proceed by clicking the IC3.gov button, which will take you to a page focused on internet crimes.

    If you believe the scammer has also stolen your identity, you can reach out to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP or 1-877-ID-THEFT. They also have a place on their website, www.ftc.gov to file a consumer complaint or report identity theft.

    If you are unsure about where to direct your scam complaint, reach out to the FBI online or give them a call at 324-3000.

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    Request A Call For Service From The Psni

    You should ask for a call for service when any of these apply:

    • a fraud is being committed or recently occurred
    • you know the suspect and they live in Northern Ireland
    • the victim is perceived to be vulnerable, through age, mental or physical impairment, or in need of care and support
    • you believe it’s important to report the incident to police so they can secure and preserve evidence or prevent loss

    You can request a call for service report to the PSNI by phoning 101 or 999 in an emergency.

    Reporting Cybercrime In Australia

    In Australia, cybercrime can be reported via ReportCyber a service ran by the Australian government. You can find their online forms both for individuals or for businesses. If a case is more serious or outside of their normal business hours, you should contact your local police by dialing 131 444.

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    Reporting Cybercrime In The Us

    In the United States, how you report cybercrime depends on what sort of crime youre reporting. In cases of copyright infringement, hacking, and other serious cases you can use the Department of Justice website. They provide a contact list of contact information for various branches of law enforcement depending on the specific crime committed.

    If you think that you may have been the victim of an online financial scam then you can lodge a complaint with the IC3. This branch of the FBI deals with complaints such as fraudulent transactions, email phishing scams, and fake clone websites. If youve lost money at the hands of online hackers in the US then this is the place to go.

    Finally, if you have a consumer complaint, such as misleading advertisements or shady actions by an online store, you can complain to the econsumer.gov website. This site is designed to handle complaints surrounding online stores and sellers. So if youve been mistreated by a storefront either in the US or internationally, theyll be able to help you.

    Seek Compensation/return Of Your Property

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    The Victorian government does not provide financial assistance for money or property lost because of fraud.

    You may be able to:

    Claim insurance

    If you have an insurance policy covering any property you lost due to fraud, you may be able to make a claim for the cost of replacing it. You may need a copy of the crime report from the police to do this. Contact your insurance company for more information.

    Seek the return of your property or compensation directly from the offender

    If a person is charged with taking your money or property, you may be able to apply for a court order to make the offender:

    • return your stolen money or property
    • pay you for what any lost property is worth.

    You can learn more about seeking compensation from an offender.

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