Filing a fraud complaint with government agencies can help resolve your issue.
Fraud is committed whenever you have been deceived or tricked into giving money or services to companies or persons who have no intention of fulfilling their obligations to you. The Federal Trade Commission, Better Business Bureau, and other state government agencies give all consumers the ability to file a fraud complaint by filling out a form on their websites. You can contact some of these agencies by telephone, email, or fax to report your fraud complaint as well.
Instructions
1. Visit the FTC Complaint Assistant website. The FTC Complaint Assistant allows consumers to report fraudulent claims, which will be added to the Consumer Sentinel. The Consumer Sentinel is an online database that is used by criminal investigators for pursuing acts of fraud.
2. Fill out the contact information form. Enter your name, address, telephone number and email address accurately into each of the appropriate fields on that screen. Select either "Yes" or "No" at the bottom of the screen where you are asked if you are filing the report on behalf of another person, then click the "Next" button to continue.
3. Select the type of fraud you wish to report. Click your mouse onto the circle next to the appropriate issue, such as identity theft, data breach, or improper telemarketing techniques, to make your selection. Click the "Next" button to continue.
4. Follow the prompts on the next set of screens to complete filing the fraud report. Once all of the fields have been completed on each screen, click the "Submit" button on the last screen. Once the report is submitted, law enforcement officials will use the information to assist them in investigating fraudulent businesses.
5. Visit the Better Business Bureau's website to file the complaint. Enter your ZIP code, then click on the "Go" button. Select "File a complaint," then follow the prompts on the next set of screens. Enter information pertaining to the business or person you are filing the complaint against, along with your contact information. Click "Submit" after each field has been carefully completed on the last page of the online complaint form.
6. Visit the Fraud Guides website and click on your state. You will be directed to a page that lists all of the contacts necessary for reporting fraud to the proper officials, such as the office of attorney general, the Department of Banking and Finance, and the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Call, email, or fax the appropriate department to file a fraud complaint. Some of these agencies listed also have links to an online form to file the complaint as well.
