We've all received calls from telemarketers at one time or another. As irritating as such calls may be, they generally involve legitimate business offers or transactions. But the anonymity of phone calls (and emails) paves the way for unscrupulous operators to defraud consumers of their money, and it does happen with alarming frequency. If you have been the victim of such a scam, or you have received a telephone solicitation that you believe to be fraudulent, you should contact the Federal Communications Commission (FTC), which investigates fraud committed both by phone and Internet. The FTC will not investigate your individual case, but the evidence you provide may assist in a criminal investigation of the party you report.
Instructions
1. Gather all the information at your disposal about the incident. When did it occur? How did the business or individual contact you? What kind of offer was made? How much money were you asked for? Did you pay any? If so, how much and by what method of payment?
2. Report online by going to the website of the Federal Trade Commission (see Resources). Click on the brown box that says FTC Complaint Assistant. This will open the first part of the complaint form.
3. Specify the type of operation you are filing a complaint against by selecting from a series of choices, in part one.
4. Specify the nature of the contact, including dates and dollar amounts if applicable, in part two.
5. State your name and contact information in part three. Note that while you may remain anonymous, your identity and further statements may be necessary to obtain a conviction.
6. State any additional information that may be of value in part four.
7. Review all the information you have entered thus far in part five, and revise as necessary. Then click the submit button at the bottom. Your complaint has been filed.
8. Also file a report with the National Fraud Information Center (NFIC), another federal investigative agency based in Washington, D.C. You may call NFIC at (800) 876-7060 to report fraud.
9. Consider reporting the incident to the Attorney General in your state. The exact procedure will vary from state to state, so just call the number listed for your state's department at the link below. Look for a page called "Consumer Protection," Consumers," or something similar, depending on the specific state.
