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Nowadays, with rapidly improving technology and lightning-fast communication, it has become very easy for people to fall prey to a vast array of scams and other malpractices, whether by dubious individuals or companies. It is indispensable to know to spot and report any potential scams before they cost you dearly, whether financially or in compromising your most private personal information.
Scammers often use email to con you into revealing your private information. This is also known as phishing. They might attempt to appropriate your private personal information such as Social Security numbers, passwords, or account numbers. If they obtain any of the aforementioned details, they will be able to access your bank account or any other accounts in your name or even your email, which may contain more important personal data. Thousands of email scams are launched by con artists every day. What’s more, is that these scams are often successful. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Centre of the FBI, $57 million was lost to phishing scams in one year.
Scammers will regularly update and improve on their methods. However, you can spot a scam by looking out for a few telltale signs.
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Scam emails will often look like they are from reputed companies that people know and trust. It may look as if they were sent by a bank, an online payment site or app, a credit card company, social networking site, or an online store. Such emails often contain fake stories or notices to con you into downloading an attachment or opening a link. They will also often have the following characteristics:
Should you receive an email asking you to open an attachment or click a link, ask yourself whether you know the person who has contacted you or if you have an account with the company in question. If you have received the correspondence from an unfamiliar source, you are most likely the target of a phishing scam. You can use the steps mentioned before to make sure it is indeed a scam and delete and report the email if this is the case.
If you suspect any of your data, like your social security number, bank account, or credit card number, may be in the hands of scammers, visit IdentityTheft.gov. You will find specific steps based on what information might have been compromised on this site.
If you download malicious software by clicking on suspicious links or downloading any dubious attachments, then run a scan after ensuring your security software is up to date.
With such multiple varieties of fraud and scams, it can be very difficult to decide the appropriate place to report each type. The first step is to prepare to make a report by gathering all the necessary information like phone numbers, emails, and receipts and utilizing this information to decide where to make a report.
Start by approaching your local government departments like state consumer protection offices. In case you happen to lose money or other valuables in a scam, go ahead file a report with your local police as well.
You can also make reports with various federal government agencies. Government agencies utilize such reports to monitor scam patterns. They may also initiate legal action against the perpetrators based on such reports.
The Federal Trade Commission is one such agency you can approach regarding email scams, using the following steps:
Premium rate numbers are those that cost more per minute for anyone to place a call to. This allows enterprises to be funded by incoming calls since part of the extra money charged goes to them. The advent of internet calls has made it easier for fraudsters to use these numbers to make an illicit profit.
Telecommunications companies need to deal with a complex array of protocols and extra layers, like voice mail services, SIM card-based customers, VoIP traffic, and softphones (i.e., PC applications that perform the functions of a phone, so an actual phone is not needed), faxing, etc. Monitoring all the aforementioned correspondences and regular calls has been extremely difficult for telecom operators.
This has made it very conducive for unscrupulous elements to operate freely, without the prospects of serious consequences, redirecting a large portion of telecom traffic to premium numbers using various methods.
These methods are extremely diverse, and may include:
The easiest way to avoid such a scam is to avoid returning calls made from numbers you know to be premium numbers. Premium numbers typically have special prefix numbers, which commonly include numbers like 300, 700, 701, etc.
Make sure the number on your caller ID is local. You can do this by checking the area code of the number on your caller ID is local and not from overseas. If you do not make international calls, you can request your phone company or service provider to block this service. Always exercise caution even if the number seems genuine.
If you suspect you might have been a target of this sort of scam, you can make a report with either the FCC or FTC.
When advertisements are broadcast to consumers, federal law dictates that the ad must not be misleading and should even be backed by scientific evidence in certain cases. The FTC enforces these “truth in advertising” laws. The same standards apply, irrespective of where adverts may appear, whether television, the internet, newspapers, or periodicals, in the mail, buses, or billboards.
Any claims in ads about claims about the health of consumers or even their pocketbooks are subject to these laws. This includes ads for dietary supplements, over-the-counter medications, food, alcohol, and tobacco.
Federal laws also prohibit or impose limits on indecent, profane, or obscene language. Broadcast any obscene material is prohibited at any time, while profane or indecent broadcasts are prohibited at certain hours.
Broadcasters are liable for any material being broadcast on their stations, including advertisements. The Federal Communications Commission considers broadcasters accountable to the community they cater to and expects them to take reasonable steps to ensure that any advertisements airing on their stations are not misleading or false.
The Federal Trade Commission has the main responsibility for deciding whether certain advertisements are misleading or false, and for taking stringent measures against all who sponsor such material. You can file a complaint online with the FTC, or you may get in touch with them on their toll-free number 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).
Aside from the FTC, you can also report any fraudulent adverts on media such as YouTube or Facebook to those respective companies.
To report a Facebook Ad, that you believe to be fraudulent, or in violation of Facebook’s advertising policies, just take the following steps:
To report an ad on Youtube or any other Google platform, first, make sure the ad in question is indeed a google ad. Some different kinds of Google ads you might come across include:
Upon confirming that it is a Google ad, the next step is to report it. You can complete and submit the “report an ad” form on Google’s troubleshooting page. After submitting the form, you’ll receive a confirmation via email.
How does one report scam businesses today when it is not uncommon for some questionable enterprises to rub consumers in the wrong way. They engage in many unethical business practices and may even fail to deliver what they promise to clients. It is very important to report such fraudulent businesses in order to prevent them from conning more people. If you do happen to face any issues that were caused by such businesses, the first step would be to attempt a resolution with its manager or proprietor. Should this fail, there are several other ways to deal with such fraudulent enterprises.
Be sure to maintain records of all purchases and orders and be sure to check them regularly. This will help you spot dubious invoices and any other signs of possible fraud. Do not make any payments on these purchases and invoices until you have duly received the product or service you have paid for. It is best to research any potential supplier or vendor before engaging in any transaction with them.
There are several avenues for recourse if you suspect you may have had dealings or are currently dealing with fraudulent businesses:
