The Ultimate Guide to Reporting Scams Worldwide
When a burglar robs a person’s home, the victim generally knows what to do. They report the crime to the local police, and the professionals pursue the culprits with various degrees of success. However, like many aspects of our lives, crime has gone online.
The Internet helps people get connected and surpass borders, but unfortunately, it provides the same benefits to scammers. Nowadays, fraudulent activities span across the globe. An individual from Europe can fall into a money trap on an American platform, controlled by crooks from Asia.
One can ask – if scams have become international what can a person do about it?! Well, there are measures we all can take, and the primary one is reporting fraud. However, to whom should we send complaints? The search for the answer might get overwhelming, so this article will help you out and give you the necessary tips for reporting a scam.
Does Reporting a Scam Do Anything? – The Importance of Filing a Report
It’s in human nature to react to wrongdoing: we cry for help, we demand justice and some even seek vengeance. This is why some scam victims have the psychological need to react. Understandably, simply reporting a scam might not seem satisfactory to them, and no wonder.
In the vast majority of cases informing the authorities does not lead to immediate arrests or retrieval of stolen assets. To top it off, an individual is usually unable to follow the effects of their reports. However, by no means is filing a complaint to proper institutions ineffective.
Your report can prevent further fraudulent activity:
Simply put, if no one points to the authorities about the malicious scheme, then it can function uninterrupted. Your local police might not be able to go after a crook on another continent, but they might take down the platform, block their profile, and generally hinder their operation.
Your Report Might End up Warning Potential Victims
Many regulatory and financial bodies investigate complaints and once they verify something is an illegal scheme they issue warnings. These official notifications end up being the first results in google search. Ultimately if anyone is enquiring about the scam, they’ll come across the warning.
Your Report May Improve the Anti-fraud System
Although cons are as old as time, internet scams have exploded in number relatively recently. The government and institutions of any country need time and resources to set up systems to combat new types of fraud. By lodging a complaint, you’re helping the authorities create and improve steps against online schemes.
Your Report Can Help Build and Expand an Archive of Scam Cases
The collection of information about fraudulent practices and organizations is extremely important. Such a database helps institutions and law enforcers investigate and fight schemes more easily.
Finally, Your Report Can Open up an Investigation Which Leads to the Arrest of Crooks
Sadly, this happens rarely since your local police don’t have jurisdiction in other countries, and interstate cooperation is a robust and costly process. Nevertheless, some scammers do get their just desserts and it all started with a single complaint.
To Whom Can I Complain Against Scam?
It’s important to understand that there isn’t a single all-encompassing institution that fights online schemes. A scam target should inform a network of organizations and governmental agencies about their experience and issues. The trick is they shouldn’t simply send emails randomly, but there is a practical and effective way to go about it.
A person should take an important step before filing a complaint to anyone, which is they need to gather as much information about the scam as possible. Where was the scam registered? Did the scammer state where they were from? What type of scam was it – fraudulent platform, romance scam, phishing, fake vendor, etc? Did the scheme present itself as an official institution or business?
Any detail can help and answers to these questions will help you understand where you should lodge your complaint.
Our article will provide you with extensive information about all the state and non-governmental agencies across the world which accept and investigate complaints against fraud. Nevertheless, before you continue we would like to offer you a list of institutions to which you should consider reporting a scam.
- Your banks and credit card companies you used to transfer funds to the fraudulent organization or individual.
- Banks or money transfer services are required by the scam.
- Official and legitimate crypto trading platforms and wallets if they were involved in case of crypto fraud.
- The social networks and portals where the scheme was promoted, or where it occurred.
- Official companies whose names the crooks abused
Practice Cautious Optimism when Performing Your Duty Against Scams
When filing your complaints please have in mind that not all countries have the same law enforcement or criminal prosecution process. Certain states, even the regions inside the same borders, have greater resources and capabilities to fight fraudulent organizations than others.
To complicate things further, even if a law enforcement agency is ready to apprehend the criminals they ultimately can’t do it as long as the crooks are outside their jurisdiction.
Finally, some governments are dealing with greater problems, or worse, they are riddled with corruption, so the issue of scheme infestation isn’t on their agenda.
Besides all the negative prospects, we urge you to report any scam you have been in contact with, and please put all the information presented in this article to good use.
Reporting Scam to the Authorities
Firstly, regardless of where you are from, you should report the scam to your local police, or proper scam fighting institution. In most cases, it doesn’t matter whether you have been the victim of the fraud, or you are filing a complaint for someone else.
What’s more, it’s important to note that many institutions allow the complainant to stay anonymous if you are afraid of potential complications.
Secondly, you should report the scam to authorities and anti-scam institutions in the country to which the scam is connected. For example, if the fraudulent organization claims they are from London or they have a UK domain, you should file a complaint with British anti-fraud officials. It doesn’t matter if you are not a citizen of the country involved.
In case you are reporting fraud to a foreign country or international institution it would help if you had definite proof and relevant information about the culprits. Contacting foreign authorities with only your suspicions most probably would lead nowhere.
We offer a list of institutions and how to contact them in various countries that are either most targeted by scams or are centers of fraudulent activities.
How Do I Report a Scam in the USA?
Americans are most likely to be targets of online scams as the USA is the leading country most affected by fraudulent organizations. For this reason, there are many federal agencies where citizens can file complaints.
USA netizens can always report internet crimes to their local police force and check if they have a special cybercrime unit. Also, they can contact their state attorney general to submit their fraud case.
It’s important to note that some states have more developed systems against fighting scams than others. So you should check whether your area provides additional services which can deal with your problem.
IC3 – www.ic3.gov/
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has created a special unit – the Internet Crime Complaint Center or the IC3. The site is highly informative and can help various victims. However, when it comes to targets of a scam they can file their report by filling in a detailed questionnaire on the following page, just click here.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
This organization offers several services which can help scam victims. In the unfortunate event of an identity scam, you can visit their anti-identity theft page where you can start your report.
Anyone who has a problem with unwanted calls can go to the National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov.
A branch of FTC that deals with fraud overall provides Americans with the page www.report fraud.ftc.gov. The service offers a detailed stream of questionnaires with which people can report scams. The information is available to thousands of law-enforcing agencies who fight against fraudulent organizations.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
FCC is mainly responsible for regulating media and content in America. This includes dealing with fraudulent advertisements and promotion of scams. Their site offers the portal for the Consumer Complaint Center. From this page, you can easily navigate to the complaint forms regarding the issues with the internet, radio, television, or unwanted calls.
Better Business Bureau
This is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to creating a fair and trustworthy marketplace. Their site www.bbb.org offers informative benefits against scams, but more importantly, they provide the consumers the chance to file complaints against fraudulent businesses, which you can do by clicking here.
How Do I Report A Scam in Canada?
Citizens of Canada are also under constant threats of scams, and unfortunately, statistics show that very few of them end up reporting fraud. Unlike other English-speaking countries, the Canadian government has made a more centralized approach to reporting fraudulent activities.
As in all instances across the world, scam targets are advised to contact their local police. For this reason, we offer a page with an extensive list of phone directories for Canadian police by location.
Canadian Anti-Fraud Center
The majority of Canadian organizations and government institutions who advise people to report fraud will direct them to the CAFC portal. This is the main body for accepting complaints against fraudulent cases.
The site is highly informative and you can visit the page to file an online complaint. Mind you, in order to fill in the form, you would have to either register or go through the system of Sign-in Partner. Here you can also find a phone number for the toll-free line along with the online form to file a complaint.
The Canadian Royal Mounted Police is collaborating with the CAFC to create a more effective and useful anti-fraud system. However, its launch is poised for 2023 or 2024.
Canada Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
Having in mind that an enormous number of people are exposed to fraudulent emails and links on a daily basis, it’s highly important to create anti-phishing steps. In this line, CASL provides a helpful link and the chance to report the spam mail, just click here.
Canada’s Do Not Call List
In case you are having problems with pesky cold calls that are trying to enforce a problematic investment opportunity or other scamming traps, you can use the services of DNCL and take appropriate steps to report the numbers.
Better Business Bureau
Like their southern neighbors Canadians also benefit from the services of the Better Business Bureau. On their portal, you can leave a complaint that can help other people when dealing with fraudulent merchants and businesses.
How Do I Report a Scam in Australia?
Unfortunately for Aussies, they live in the country that is second most likely to be targeted by scams. The Australian government does take measures to fight fraudulent activities, primarily by educating their citizens and forming special units that deal with schemes.
Scamwatch
This is an organization under the wing of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Their main goal is tracking and analyzing fraudulent activities in order to spread awareness and create steps towards disrupting schemes.
You can easily report fraud on the Scamwatch portal. Additionally, the site generally has an abundance of information and provides contacts that can aid the targets of fraud, so feel free to browse around.
Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)
Since nowadays the vast majority of scams occur online, the ACSC is the government agency to whom you should file a complaint. They are fully dedicated to making the online space safer for Australian citizens, and that includes going against various types of internet fraud and identity theft.
You can leave your report on the following page –www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/report, otherwise, the site offers a multitude of useful information and tips on how to protect your systems and computer in cyberspace.
Australian Security & Investments Commission (ASIC)
In case you’ve been cold-called regarding an ‘excellent’ investment opportunity, or you have encountered any scheme that promises ROI that’s too good to be true, you should report it to ASIC. This agency is not responsible for all types of fraud, but they will investigate any scam that poses as a legitimate investment opportunity.
Whoever has had a problem with a Ponzi scheme or similar type of fraud can use the ASIC page for filing complaints. Once there simply click on the button ‘report misconduct now’.
Furthermore, the organization stresses they don’t deal with complaints regarding consumer goods and services, and they direct people to the regional consumer affairs office. For this reason, they provide a helpful list of sites.
Anti-Scam Agencies for the Individual States of Australia
So far we have provided you with useful links that cover the entire Australian federation. However, it’s important to note that the states of Australia have their own ways of fighting scams separately. Because of this, we provide you with a list of sites divided according to their state. Here you can report a crime to the local government and anti-fraud organizations.
Western Australia
Northern Territory
consumeraffairs.nt.gov.au/for-consumers/scams
Queensland
www.qld.gov.au/law/your-rights/consumer-rights-complaints-and-scams/scams-fraud/report-a-scam
New South Wales
Please note that the site doesn’t provide an online report, but you might find useful contacts.
portal.police.nsw.gov.au/s/fraud-definition
Victoria
www.consumer.vic.gov.au/contact-us/report-an-issue/report-a-scam
Tasmania
The Tasmanian police portal simply points the visitors to the ASCS, but you may find useful contacts and information.
https://www.police.tas.gov.au/what-we-do/online-safety/scam-information/
South Australia
The official anti-scam unit site of South Australia is highly informative but it will simply direct you to Scamwatcher and ASCS.
www.police.sa.gov.au/your-safety/scams-and-cybercrime
Crime Stoppers
People who want to report a crime but wish to remain anonymous may use the services of the Crime Stoppers portal.
How Do I Report a Scam in New Zealand?
Being one of the countries with English as an official language, New Zealand is also under constant attack of internet scams. Citizens have a wide range of options for reporting fraudulent activities while government and non-governmental agencies use this information to combat various types of schemes.
Department of Internal Affairs
The site contains a page with instructions on how to deal with phishing emails and unsolicited texts. It provides an address to which you can forward the problematic emails and the phone number for fraudulent texts. Since phishing is one of the most common types of scams, the portal contains a page where you can report spam.
Identity Theft
In case of an unfortunate event that you have been the victim of identity theft, or you have reason to believe this is the case, you can navigate the following page under the same name portal by clicking on the following link. Here you can discover helpful tips and instructions on what steps you should take.
Netsafe
The main goal of the non-profit independent agency Netsafe is just that: keeping the content of the internet safe for the people of New Zealand. On their portal, citizens may report all kinds of web problems, from misinformation and cyberbullying to scams.
CERT NZ
We present you with the main organization that deals with cyber issues and breaches. You can use the report services on CERT NZ site if you have encountered fraud that involved hacking or cyber incidents.
Internet NZ
In case your scam or money trap uses .nz as its domain, you can report it to the Internet NZ agency. They are the main body for internet distribution for New Zealand and they also keep in check every site and content with the .nz in their address.
New Zealand Police
As a rule of thumb, no scam report procedure is complete without notifying the police regarding any fraudulent activity. For this reason, we present you with an informative page from the New Zealand Police website.
Scamwatch New Zealand
Consumer Protection is a specialized government body that helps New Zealanders find information regarding purchases of products and services. The portal offers a page specially designated for scams – Scamwatch. Though it doesn’t offer a direct line for filing complaints, it is quite informative.
However, you may choose to lodge a complaint with the Consumer Protection service directly if you have had problems with purchasing faulty or misrepresented goods as a part of a scam.
Commerce Commission New Zealand
Many scams can violate consumers’ rights, if that is the case you can complain to the Consumer Commission regulatory agency. To do so, simply visit the following page.
Financial Market Authority
Since FMA is the main financial regulatory body of New Zealand, it is also responsible for investigating scams connected to investment opportunities. Meaning that if you have been a target of a Ponzi scheme or any fraudulent organization that offers ROI, you can report it to FMA. They are the agency which issues warnings against investment scams, so you can use their site to check if you might be dealing with a shady organization.
Serious Fraud Office
As the name of the agency suggests this is the lead law enforcement body that is responsible for large-scale fraud and white-collar crime. This entails that targets of certain types of scams like big Ponzi Schemes, can file a complaint with the Serious Fraud Office.
Additional Helpful Portals for New Zealand
We provide you with the link to the Citizens Advice Bureau for the page with anti-scam information. You can also navigate this site for other instructive information on various issues and services.
Another notable site that we would like to offer is IDCARE which you can access here www.idcare.org/. It’s important to note that this site covers Australia and New Zealand, and it helps on the issues of identity and cyber security.
How Do I Report a Scam in India?
Reportedly the Mecca of scam call centers, India has been facing an endemic of fraudulent organizations. Commonly these scams target the English-speaking world, and rightfully there is a public outcry coming from countries such as the USA, Australia, the UK. Unfortunately, what many people don’t consider is that Indian citizens are also frequent victims of scams coming from their own country.
Though there are cases of international cooperation, it’s rarely done. What’s worse, there is a wide range of problems which prevent the Indian police from investigating a fraud case. Nevertheless, there are instances of arrests and scams being shut down.
For this reason, we are going to present to you all the ways you can report fraudulent activities in India with all the caveats that go with them.
Cyber Cell
The majority of cities in India have a cyber cell department as part of their local police. You can file a complaint in person or by calling them. We present you with a list of Cyber Cell contacts. Of course, there is a great probability of a language barrier, as the officers might not speak English, or any other language except Hindi.
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal
For people who are interested in filing their complaints online, they visit the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. Mind you, in order to file a report you need to register. What’s more, you might be unable to log onto the page unless you are on an Indian server.
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
This is a special unit that is under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Government of India. This department fights security incidents, but it can provide the chance to fight against scammers who hack into computers. Their site offers contacts and forms for complaints and you can visit it at www.cert-in.org.in/.
Serious Fraud Investigation Office
The SFIO is an organization under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and they do a wide range of investigative tasks which include going after fraud and white-collar crimes. To file a complaint with this government body you can use one of the contacts presented on the following page sfio.gov.in/en/contact-us/.
PLEASE NOTE: The contacts provided will benefit citizens of India, or if you happen to be on Indian territory. What’s worse, there are countless anecdotal reports and comments on how India’s justice system is ineffective. Regardless, If you have the time and willingness to file a report with the Indian authorities we do advise you to do so. Although the chance is slim, there is still a chance your report might change something.
How Do I Report a Scam in Nigeria?
It seems that Nigeria is the cradle of modern scams and that it all started with the Nigerian Prince emails. Sadly, organized scams are rampant all across impoverished Africa, and not just in Nigeria. Though, the fact of the matter is that one of the leading organized crime groups, the Black Axe, does originate from this country.
There are many efforts by the local police and even international co-operations to stomp down on fraudulent organizations. Nevertheless, due to the dire economic situation, corruption, lack of jurisdiction, and many other factors, the scam boom in Nigeria is difficult to control.
Several agencies fight fraudulent organizations and we’ll inform you about how you can come in contact with them. However, please bear in mind that your cry for help might be lost in the cacophony of problems. Sometimes law enforcement does catch a fraudster, but often it’s just a tiny dent in the whole criminal machinery.
Be that as it may, we still recommend all fraud victims to provide relevant information to the appropriate institutions, as that might have an effect while being silent will result in nothing.
Police Special Fraud Unit
PSFU is a significant part of the Force Criminal Investigation Department which is the most elite branch of the Nigeria Police. The Special Fraud Unit is dedicated to fighting scammin organizations and individuals plaguing Nigeria, and for this, they cooperate with intercontinental and overseas agencies.
If you want to file a complaint you can fill in the form on the PSFU site. The page also contains an email for reports complaining about sensitive information or that are connected to serious fraud.
The site also provides the PSFU confidential form. While here you can also check the email for more complicated cases, as well as several helpline contacts.
Nigerian Police Force
As a rule of thumb, it’s best people report a crime to their local police. For this reason, we offer a list of emergency numbers allocated to special Nigerian regions.
Economic and Financial Crime Commissions
Supported by the presidency and legislation system, this specialized body was formed in the early 2000s with the specific goal of battling financial fraud which includes various types of scams and money laundering. You can contact this institution using the following contacts:
+234 (9) 904 4751
+234 809 332 2644
If you happen to be in the vicinity you can also visit the EFCC command centers on the following locations.
Scamwatch Nigeria
Though they are registered as non-governmental advocacy organization, Scamwatch Nigeria are partly funded and in close relations with various state agencies that fight fraudulent organizations. These include Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, Nigerian Communications Commission, and Nigerian Police Force, among others.
On Scamwatch Nigeria site, you can find a plethora of useful information, and you can find online forms to report fraud with an easy click.
How Do I Report a Scam in Ghana?
Unfortunately, West Africa is famous for having large fraudulent activities. Nigeria being the number one scamming hub of the continent, according to many reports, Ghana comes to a close second. Many schemes and crime organizations cross borders and cooperate between these two countries. Here you can discover ways to report scams in Ghana.
Ghana Police Service
Like many countries in the region, Ghana’s boys in blue are working hard to prevent fraud. There are many cases of successful international cooperation that resulted in arrest, but sadly it’s just a drop in the ocean compared to the size of the underground scam world. Nevertheless, your report might snowball into positive action.
The Ghana’s police site will provide you with the right information on how to contact them and perhaps leave a report.
Cyber Security Authority
This agency is under the wing of the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation and its main goal is to create crime-free and safe cyberspace in Ghana. TOf course this implies getting rid of all the criminal activities. You can submit your report on the following page www.csa.gov.gh/report, and also you can find relevant contacts.
How Do I Report a Scam in South Africa?
Communities in South Africa are under constant fraudulent attacks from small-scale scams like phishing or credit card skimming to large-size Ponzi schemes. Like many countries on the continent, South Africa is battling a considerable rise of scams with domestic and international origins.
The government and various agencies are doing their best to put a stop to this criminal development. It all begins with conscientious netizens reporting the fraud.
South African Police Service (SAPS)
Law enforcement provides several means for their citizens to report a crime which includes all types of fraud. Regardless of the location, a person in South Africa can contact the police through the emergency number 10111.
If an individual would like to report a crime or disclose information anonymously, they can use the services of Crime Stop-Tip Off South Africa and contact the line 08600 10111.
In case you want to contact a local police station with a specific area of jurisdiction, we offer you a list of police contacts.
MySAPS App
The South African Police have decided to go with the times and they have issued an app that could help citizens report a crime. Additionally, users have easy access to information like the location of the nearest police station and their contacts.
Anyone can download the app on Google Play or Apple Store. However, we should note that many reviews highlight that the app doesn’t always function properly. What’s worse, there are numerous complaints that it is ineffective and clunky for providing reports.
Southern Africa Fraud Prevention Service
This is one of the leading non-profit agencies in the region that is dedicated to fighting scams. If you have been a victim of any type of fraud you can find their online complaint form and other contacts on the following page: www.safps.org.za/Home/Contact.
SAFPS also provides helpful tips and information along with protection and prevention services against various types of scams.
Financial Intelligence Center
Established to enforce the Financial Intelligence Centre Act of 2001, FIC’s main purpose is to prevent the abuse of the South African financial system. This mission also includes the battle against scams and fraudulent activities. The FIC is highly informative but it also offers a multi-practical form for filing various types of complaints. If you choose the right option on the FIC site, you can report scams. The page also contains contact information like phone numbers and emails for FIC.
Blocking Unsolicited SMS and Spam
In case you are having trouble with email phishing, contact your South African internet service provider and report the problematic email. So far the Internet Service Providers’ Association doesn’t have an overarching system to deal with the problem of spam.
Nevertheless, netizens can benefit from several Do Not Contact services. Firstly they can register at the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa. That way you shouldn’t be receiving any promotional emails from the member companies.
In the same vein, an individual can use the services of the Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association. They can fill in the form to report spam at https://waspa.org.za/report-spam/ or they can use the do not contact blocking page https://dnc.org.za/.
How Do I Report a Scam in China?
For many years the Chinese government was taking drastic measures against anything that could lead to scams. The Chinese Communist Party has banned MLMs and cryptocurrency, and in 2021 they issued new laws that would cripple fraudulent organizations and practices.
As a result, the official site of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China boasts amazing figures. Law enforcement has dismantled 27, 000 gangs dealing with SIM and bank card fraud; in August of 2021 the government handled 19 million cases of online illegal activities; the authorities cracked 180,000 cases of online fraud, etc.
Taken by their face value, these reports give hope that the Chinese scam infestation is over. Unfortunately, it’s not clear how big of an effect this has actually made, and as time has shown – scams that originate from China or implicate the country are still pervasive.
There are several ways you can inform Chinese officials about the scam, but there is a huge difference if you happen to be a citizen or a resident in China, or you happen to be a netizen outside of the country.
National Anti Fraud Center App
CCP’s solution to the issue of scams targeting citizens is an app developed by the police and the government. It provides the holders with the chance to report fraudulent, or suspicious sites and phone numbers. As a consequence, the app also blocks any problematic platforms and contacts that might be attacking its users.
According to the China Daily site, the National Anti-Fraud Center sent 145 million warnings to people at risk of being deceived, intercepted 2.81 billion fraudulent calls and 3.36 billion text messages, and blocked 4 million fraudulent domain names and websites.
As amazing as this seems, there are numerous problems with this report. There have been comments that the app doesn’t recognize the difference between a fake forex broker and Bloomberg site. Worse still, it appears that the app blocks the majority of foreign content and portals, and not just the scamming ones.
This leads us to the main concern regarding NAFC. The state-controlled app can monitor user data and activities while it can regulate which content a citizen can view. Though the officials declare it to be an anti-scam shield, it is also an extremely powerful surveillance and regulation tool that gives the Chinese government even more power.
To top it off, there is a huge marketing campaign to promote the app. Additionally, various state institutions, employers, and police officers insist citizens download it. Reports claim that more than 200 million Chinese citizens are using the NAFC.
Contact Your Local Police Station
This golden rule of scam reporting is effective for China as well. Emergency number 110 is available and functional throughout the entire country. For less immediate issues a person can use a messaging system with the number 12110.
In case you might benefit from email correspondence you can check the official mail address for the police station in your area, but we will present you with the emails of law enforcement for the largest cities.
Beijing – [email protected]
Shanghai – [email protected]
Guangzhou – [email protected]
Nanjing – [email protected]
Xiamen – [email protected]
Complaining Reporting Center for Unsolicited Electronic Messages
This agency is under the wing of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Their portal is at the address www.12321.cn. It is informative and it offers online options for reporting various types of scams. Just mind you the site is in Chinese only, so you might need a translator option. here you can also find the phone number and the email for the complaints.
Reporting Fraud outside China
In case you want to file complaints while being abroad, you should check if your country has a Chinese embassy or a consulate. If you do try to google their contact number or an email. Additionally, depending on the type of scam, you can complain to the Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade. For this reason, we provide you with a page that contains a list of their prominent contacts and stations across the globe.
How Do I Report a Scam in Southeast Asia?
Unfortunately, since 2020 the crime syndicates that commit online scams have exploded. What’s worse these fraudulent organizations also force many foreigners into slavery. In these situations, more often than not scammers turn out to be victims themselves.
These crime syndicates have large operations in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. What’s worse, the officials of these states do very little about the problem, and more often than not it’s due to heavy corruption.
It’s very difficult to report a scam in these states, but you can try contacting the local police. However, there is a portal where you can report online fraud.
Global Anti-Scam Organization
Founded by scam victims this non-profit group of Asian and international volunteers is fully dedicated to fighting online scams and helping victims. You can file a complaint at their site www.globalantiscam.org/contact. The portal offers a cornucopia of anti-fraud information and advice, while it also shows how GASO can help.
How Do I Report a Scam in the UK?
British citizens have been under an increasing number of scam attacks, ranging from money trap sites, and fake trading platforms, to calls impersonating banks and government officials. Some statistics point out that the UK is the third leading country in reported fraud cases.
The government and groups of concerned citizens have recognized this growing problem and they have taken measures. There are multiple governmental bodies on whose site you can report a scam, along with several anti-fraud sites that are non-profit organizations.
Please have in mind that some of these sites are for people living in England, Wales, and Northern Irland. We are going to present options for residents of Scotland separately.
Citizens can always contact the police through the 101 number and 999 line for emergencies. Furthermore, we provide you with the page with a list of local police contacts.
Action Fraud – www.actionfraud.police.uk
This is the main go-to for filing a complaint against scams as it is the national center for reporting fraud and cybercrime. It is a cooperative endeavor between London city police and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. You can easily report the scam on their site and it also provides a host of useful information and links that can help against fraud.
www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint/report-an-online-scam-ad
If you have encountered a fraudulent advertisement online you can lodge a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) on their page.
Financial Conduct Authority
In case you have been targeted by an investment scam be sure to contact the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the following page offers phone contacts as well as an online contact form – www.fca.org.uk/consumers/report-scam-us
National Cyber Security Center
All the phishing emails can be forwarded to [email protected] and the National Cyber Security Center will investigate. Also, you can visit the following NCSC link to report fraudulent and suspicious websites.
Additional Helpful Links
Lastly, we would like to mention several sites that might aid you or provide helpful insights and information regarding scams.
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
Reporting Unsolicited Calls and Text Messages
Citizens who find themselves under the barrage of cold calls from very questionable services and sales agents can register with Telephone Preference Service where they can also file a complaint.
In the case of pesky text messages, anyone has the option of forwarding the problematic text to the 7726 number. This will inform the mobile network provider the number is spam and it will be blocked.
Additionally, you can report problematic calls and text messages to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) on the following page.
011909482
How Do I Report a Scam in Scotland?
People living in Scotland can primarily report a scam by contacting the police with numbers 101 and 999 in case of emergency. They can also fill in an online form on the official site of the Scottish police.
How Do I Report a Scam in Russia?
Being the largest country in the world it is no wonder Russa is targeted by online scams as much. Many schemes that go after English-speaking countries are often translated or repurposed so they could extort funds from Russian netizens.
The additional problems with scams with this country is that many fraudulent entities originate from Russia, and neighboring states. Russian officials have been known to collaborate with Interpol and international organizations to uproot scamming entities. Nevertheless, there is much anecdotal evidence across social media to indicate that Russian police won’t do much on the matter.
The options for reporting online fraud are limited but they do exist. Furthermore, if you’re not speaking Russian you will encounter a language barrier.
Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation
If you are in Russia it’s always best you report directly to the MIA, but you should note that the appeal should be submitted in Russian. If you can’t come in person you can contact the Ministry’s hotline at 8-800-222-74-47.
The Department K (Cyber Crime Prevention Department) has jurisdiction over internet fraud cases. If you can navigate the MIA site in Russian you can access their online form for complaints, just be sure to check the field with Управление «К» МВД России first.
The English version of the MIA site provides a different set of information which is less detailed and diverse, while it is more directed to contacts and topics foreigners could use. It provides a list of the Ministry’s representatives across the globe that might take complaints against online scams.
As a foreigner, you can also write directly to the mail of Department K at [email protected]
МВД РОССИИ App
Like many countries worldwide, the Russian police have developed their app. You can download it on Google Play and AppStore. It provides various information and assistance along with the chance to report a crime with it.
Europol
The European Union Law Enforcing Agency provides a page with a useful list of their member states and their respective institutions where you can report a cyber crime.
How Do I Report a Scam in Mexico?
By many reports, the netizens of Mexico are most likely to fall victim to online scams among all the Spanish-speaking countries. Following the worldwide trend, the United States of Mexico have also experienced a huge rise in fraudulent activities owing to digitalization and the longer online presence due to the pandemic.
Unfortunately, when it comes to countries of Mesoamerica and South America, the lack of language barrier helps online scams spread across the continent more easily. More often than not, the same fraudulent organizations target several states at once.
Reporting the crime to your local police is always the first step. Just mind you, if you don’t know Spanish well enough you’ll probably have considerable difficulties filing your case.
Public Ministry
This is the main law enforcement body of Mexico that protects human rights and investigates various types of crimes, which include online fraud. You can report a crime directly, and for this, we give you the page where you can check the location of the nearest Public Ministry offices.
You can also use this page to check the specific phone numbers and emails of the nearest department.
In case you are interested in online forms, the following site presents the list of all the Mexican States – denuncia.org/denuncia-digital/. Some of them provide online services.
Mexico City
Being one of the largest cities in the world, it stands to reason that denizens of Mexico City are exposed to all kinds of online fraud. They can report a crime anonymously using the 098 number, and if they wish to file a complaint online we provide the following form – denunciadigital.cdmx.gob.mx/victima-delito.
BBB Mexico
Better Business Bureau has also offices in Mexico where they also spread their vision of protecting customers’ rights. For additional information, you can check the BBB Mexico web page here. https://www.bbb.org/local-bbb/bbb-of-mexico
How Do I Report a Scam in Brazil?
For a very long time, Brazil has been considered one of the leading countries in scams. Citizens are bombarded by fraudulent activities, many of which are specially engineered and exist only in Brazil. The federal government has recognized the damage internet scams do daily, and the officials have invested efforts to prevent them.
The whole fight against scams starts with a single report so here are some ways you can file your complaint to the appropriate authorities.
Ministry of Justice and Public Security
We provide a link to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security federal portal that enables the citizens of several states of Brazil to file a complaint electronically. You can start by simply clicking on the appropriate state. Please have in mind in order to use the services of this portal, you need to be registered at www.gov.br/pt-br.
In case the appropriate state is not on the list, you can visit their specific portal.
For example, if you are in Rio Grande De Sul you can visit the page www.pc.rs.gov.br/inicial.
Citizens of Ceará State can use the services of delegaciaeletronica.ce.gov.br while netizens of Sao Paolo can go to delegaciaeletronica.policiacivil.sp.gov.br .
www.econsumer.gov
Finally, we offer the Econsumer site which is the project of the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network. It is a collaborative effort between 65 consumer protection agencies and it boasts 40 member states across the globe. They are dedicated to fighting online scams and they provide a lot of useful information and the chance to file a report regarding fraudulent activities.
Additionally, the site offers a list of the government agencies of respective member countries where you can file a report about online fraud directly.
Contact Funds Recovery
Our article has provided a multitude of contacts that enable scam victims to take a first step against fraud. However, for many people reporting scammers is simply not enough, as they have suffered serious financial injury. Funds Recovery offers their services to help people regain their stolen assets. The process starts by filing a complaint on our site.
Disclaimer
This article has been written according to the research from internet articles which are all public knowledge. Some information presented here is subject to change.