Fraud Alert: Don't Shy Away from Reporting Cons and Scams

AARP Fraud Watch Network Urges Consumers To Take Steps, Help Protect Others

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Oct 15, 2014, 01:36 ET

CHICAGO, Oct. 15, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With consumer fraud still a vastly underreported crime, individuals need to take steps to report scams and cons as quickly as possible. The more people report, the more likely it is that fraudsters will be arrested, charged and convicted according to AARP's latest Fraud Watch Alert. Whether a complex long con or a simple theft of your personal information, fraud can happen to anyone and unfortunately too many people who have been scammed out of their hard-earned money, suffer their losses alone and in silence.

"If you've been scammed, it can be deeply embarrassing, and make you question your judgment," said AARP Illinois State Director Bob Gallo. "But even if you feel that the losses are not large enough to report, or that nothing will result from filing a report, you should report it as this will help protect others from becoming victims."

So what should you do if you are a victim of fraud?

File a police report. Go to your local police station and file a report about the fraud or scam.
Tell your credit card company and bank. Contact the fraud department at your credit card company and bank; you may have to close the account or the institution may just remove the fraudulent transactions.
Report the fraud to the three credit reporting companies. Do this as soon as possible. Each credit reporting company has a fraud unit: Equifax: (800) 525-6285; Experian: (888) EXPERIAN or (888) 397-3742; TransUnion: (800) 680-7289.
Gather evidence. In addition to the police report, save what you can related to the suspected fraud. Having items such as letters/emails of solicitation, prospectuses, canceled checks, cash receipts, receipts for cashier's checks or money orders, bank statements, investment statements, or medical statements could help you in the long run.

There are a number of places you can report frauds and file complaints. Most are based on the type of fraud you are dealing with. To report:

General claims of fraud – your state Attorney General's office: naag.org
Frauds committed by local businesses – Better Business Bureau: bbb.org
Misuse of Social Security Number – Social Security Administration: socialsecurity.gov/fraudreport; (800) 269-0271
Identity theft or mass marketing/telemarketing fraud – Federal Trade Commission: ftccomplaintassistant.gov; (877) FTC-HELP (877-382-4357) or (877) ID THEFT (877-438-4338)
Commodities, investment or securities fraud – Commodity Futures Trading Commission: cftc.gov/consumerprotection; (866) 366-2382; Securities and Exchange Commission: sec.gov/complaint.shtml; (800) 732-0330; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority: finra.org/complaint
Internet-based fraud: Internet Crime Complaint Center – ic3.gov/complaint
Mail fraud – US Postal Inspection Service: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov; (877) 876-2455
Tax fraud or tax ID theft - Internal Revenue Service (IRS): http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/How-Do-You-Report-Suspected-Tax-Fraud-Activity%3F/; (800) 829-1040

If you need help figuring out which organization to contact, call the Fraud Watch Network Hotline to speak one-on-one with a highly trained AARP volunteer Fraud Fighter. They are standing by to offer peer counseling, support and referral services to fraud victims and their family members. Call toll-free: 877-908-3360.

SOURCE AARP Illinois