How to Report Fraud

Co-authored by Scott Nelson, JD

Last Updated: January 8, 2023 References

Fraud is a criminal offense perpetrated when an individual deceives others for financial or personal gain. Most national governments have an agency or a number of agencies that take on the task of controlling and stopping fraud. In the United States, the way you report fraud depends upon the type of crime and the appropriate agency that polices it. It is important to submit a detailed fraud report to the proper agency after the crime. Most agencies have an online or telephone reporting system. Read in to find out how to report different types of fraud.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Identity Fraud

1
Gather evidence that your identity was stolen. Identify fraud is when someone uses your name, credit card information, social security number, or other personal data to make purchases, take out loans, or otherwise commit fraud. If you were the victim of identify fraud, it's important to gather as much evidence as possible so you can report the fraud and stop the criminal from continuing to use your identify.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source

United States Department of Justice
Official website of the U.S. Department of Justice

Go to source} Evidence of identity theft and fraud may include:
- Credit card statements that show purchases you didn't make
- Statements from credit card companies you don't have an account with
- Collection notices for debts that aren't yours
- Mistakes on your credit reports from the three credit agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion^{[2]
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  Research source}
2
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC processes complaints from people who believe they are victims of identity theft and refers them to agencies who will investigate the crime. The FTC will help you create an identity theft affidavit you can use to aid in filing a police report.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source

Federal Trade Commission
Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson

Go to source} You can report identity theft to the FTC by doing one of the following:
- Report it online by visiting www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft.
- Report it over the phone by calling 1-877-ID THEFT (877-438-4338) or TDD at 1-866-653-4261.
- Report it by mail by sending your complaint to Consumer Response Center, FTC, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580.
Go to your local police station and file an identify theft report. Have a copy of your FTC identity theft affidavit, any other evidence of fraud that you have gathered, and a valid ID.^{[4]
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Trustworthy Source

Federal Trade Commission
Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson

Go to source} Fill out and file a report, and request a copy as well as a report number so you can keep track of the progress of the report.
4
Report it to the three credit reporting companies. Do this as soon as possible after determining that your identity was used to take out a new credit line, make purchases, take out loans, or anything else that could affect your credit. Each credit reporting company has a fraud unit to deal with credit fraud:
- Equifax: Call (800) 525-6285.
- Experian: Call (888) EXPERIAN or (888) 397-3742.
- TransUnion: Call (800) 680-7289.
If you suspect your social security number was stolen and is being used to commit fraud, report it immediately by calling 800-269-0271. The Social Security Administration will help you determine whether you need to receive a new social security number and card.
6
Contact other agencies to report specific types of identity fraud. If you suspect your private information has been tampered with or used to do more than make purchases or take out loans, there are other specific agencies you may need to get in touch with to file reports.
- If you think the identify thief contacted the post office to have your address changed, call your local office of the Postal Inspection Service.
- If you think your tax identification information was used fraudulently, call, the IRS at 1-800-829-0433.
- If your personal information was used to open a fraudulent bank account, call the financial institution involved to report it.
- If your personal information was used to make long-distance phone calls or international purchases, call the companies involved to report the problem.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Internet Fraud

1
Gather evidence that you are the victim of internet fraud. If you believe you were defrauded online, by either an individual or a website, gather as much information as possible to serve as evidence of what happened. Collect the other party's web address, email address, and records of your correspondence. Depending on the type of internet fraud that occurred, you may also need to collect bank statements and other types of evidence. Here are the most common types of internet fraud:
- Monetary loss, a common occurrence that happens with money is wired to purchase goods that never arrive.
- Debt elimination schemes, which involve websites advertising a quick, easy way to get rid of mortgage loans and credit card debts but don't deliver on their promises.
- Investment fraud, in which a website offers false claims to obtain investments.
- The Nigerian letter scam, also called 419, which involves an email from someone claiming to be a Nigerian official offering a share of cash in exchange for help placing money in overseas bank accounts.
- Spoofing and phishing, which is when someone sends a forged email claiming to be someone you know, often as a scheme to dupe you into giving up credit card information.
2
File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). This is a US government agency set up to receive and process complaints related to internet fraud. To file a complaint,
- Go to www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
- Accept the "Terms and Conditions"
- Fill out your personal information and a description of the fraud
- Submit your complaint
If you were defrauded online by a local perpetrator, you might want to file a police report to get an investigation underway. Go to your local police station and file an identify theft report. Have a copy of your FTC identity theft affidavit, any other evidence of fraud that you have gathered, and a valid ID.^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source

Federal Trade Commission
Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson

Go to source} Fill out and file a report, and request a copy as well as a report number so you can keep track of the progress of the report.^{[6]
X
Expert Source

Scott Nelson, JD
Police Sergeant, Mountain View Police Department

Expert Interview. 2 April 2020.}
4
File a complaint with the Consumer Protection Agency and the Better Business Bureau. If you were defrauded by a local business, the Consumer Protection Agency and the Better Business Bureau should be notified. These institutions will investigate the business and prevent further fraud from occurring.
- Go to www.usa.gov/topics/consumer.shtml to file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Agency.
- Go to www.bbb.org to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Credit Card Fraud

The best evidence you'll have that credit card fraud has been committed is a credit card statement showing purchases that you didn't make. As soon as you notice strange charges on your credit card statement, file a report right away.
2
Report it to your credit card company. Call your credit card company and follow instructions to speak with the credit card fraud department. Explain the situation and say you want to cancel your credit card immediately due. Take steps to get the fraudulent charges removed from your account as well.
- Report the fraud immediately to avoid charges. Federal law states that if you report the fraud within 2 days, you will only be responsible for $50 of the fraudulent charges. If you wait more than 2 days, you could be responsible for up to $500 worth of charges. If you wait longer than 60 days, you may be responsible for all of the charges.^{[7]
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  Trustworthy Source
  
  Federal Trade Commission
  Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson
  
  Go to source}
- Even if there was just one fraudulent charge on your credit card, you should cancel the card and get a new number, so the person won't be able to use your card again.
- If you think your card number was stolen online, or was stolen as the result of using an insecure website, you might also want to report it to the IC3 at www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.
3
Get your credit reports. Call all three credit reporting agencies to obtain your credit reports. Check over the reports to see if your credit was affected by the fraudulent charges. Look carefully to see if any new credit lines were established in your name. If you see anything suspicious, take steps to correct the errors. Each credit reporting company has a fraud unit to deal with credit fraud:
- Equifax: Call (800) 525-6285.
- Experian: Call (888) EXPERIAN or (888) 397-3742.
- TransUnion: Call (800) 680-7289.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Other Types of Fraud

Go online to IRS.gov and search for Form 3949-A. You can print it out and mail it or submit it online. For concerns about fraudulent Certified Public Accountants or tax agents, use the email opr@irs.gov to contact the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility.
Write out a fact-based report that includes your contact information and send it to USTP.Bankruptcy.Fraud@usdoj.gov.
3
Report stolen or fraudulent checks to the National Check Fraud Service. Call 1-843-571-2143 to report personal check fraud or counterfeit checks. Counterfeit checks, taken from actual account numbers, are often used in Internet lottery scams.
- You should also call your bank and close your account, in order to avoid the production of counterfeit checks. Then, notify the police and possibly submit a police report.
Elder fraud is financial fraud committed against an elderly person. Call the Eldercare locator at 1-800-677-1116. This agency can help you find the correct services in your area. This type of fraud can be committed by both people operating as businesses and causes, but also by family members or friends.
This service is in place to act against mail fraud or spam mail. Go to Hirlanmartins99.uspis.gov and click on the Mail Fraud Complaint Form.
Call the FBI tip line on 1-800-225-5324 or go online to Tips.fbi.gov.
Call the Social Security Administration's fraud hotline at 1-800-269-0271.
You can email the department at Hirlan_gatinho.hotline@ed.gov or call 1-800-MIS-USED.
Submit using an online form at SEC.gov/complaint/select.shtml or call 1-800-732-0330.
Do an internet search or look in the phone book to find the number to your state Attorney General office. Ask them about your state's regulations on reporting fraud.

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Expert Q&A

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Question

How can I report telephone fraud from a robocaller?

Scott Nelson, JD
Police Sergeant, Mountain View Police Department
Scott Nelson is a Police Sergeant with the Mountain View Police Department in California. He is also a practicing attorney for Goyette & Associates, Inc. where he represents public employees with a myriad of labor issues throughout the state. He has over 15 years of experience in law enforcement and specializes in digital forensics. Scott has received extensive training through the National Computer Forensics Institute and holds forensic certifications from Cellbrite, Blackbag, Axiom Forensics, and others. He earned a Master of Business Administration from the California State University Stanislaus and a Juris Doctorate from the Laurence Drivon School of Law.

Scott Nelson, JD

Police Sergeant, Mountain View Police Department

Expert Answer

The laws on robocalling scams are changing all of the time, so it can be hard to keep track of who you need to get into contact with. Your best bet is to call your local police department and ask them where to report it. Different states have different agencies that deal with this kind of thing, so there's a lot of variation depending on where you live.

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Tips

Not all agencies require that your fraud claim remains confidential. Read the terms or warnings before submitting a complaint, in order to become familiar with the steps that will be taken to investigate the crime.

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Make a copy of your fraud report or print it before submitting, so that you have a copy for your records, for your bank or for your insurance company.

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If you believe your life is endangered due to fraudulent activity, contact the police immediately instead of using the avenues listed above.

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