“Help! I’ve Been Scammed!” Reporting Cybercrime
Cybercrime is all over the news these days as the prevalence of online fraud continues to grow. Cybercrime includes hacking, identity theft, phishing, money laundering, theft of intellectual property rights and other forms of online fraud. Cybercrime can happen to both businesses and individuals, the young and the old. But where should you report if you think you may have been a victim?
First, you should immediately contact your bank and your credit card companies to report the incident. Your bank or credit card company can often be the first line of defense in stopping or minimizing a financial loss. Next, contact the credit reporting agencies, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax to implement a credit freeze or fraud alert. Both are free to establish and it lets you know who may be asking to see your credit history. Both are good ways to help protect your credit.
Report the matter to local and federal law enforcement. Call your local police department and file a report. Don’t assume that nothing can be done. Local law enforcement, sometimes in connection with other agencies, works together to share fraud reports and can often establish patterns and share information that can be used to warn others and even track down suspected scammers. Also, be sure to report the crimes to federal agencies such as identitytheft.gov and ic3.gov. IC3 or the Internet Crime Complaint Center is a website designed for the public to submit information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation concerning suspected cyber-facilitated criminal activity. Information is analyzed and disseminated to law enforcement and the public.
Reporting cybercrime is a vital step in the road to prevention and, eventually, stopping these crimes. Quick action is key to having the greatest impact.