The website for consumer protection agency complaints is: https://www. ftccomplaintassistant. gov/Information?OrgCode=IRS#crnt&panel1-1. The website for reporting international scams to the ICPEN is: https://www. econsumer. gov.
The web address for the FCC online complaint form is: https://consumercomplaints. fcc. gov/hc/en-us/articles/115002234203-Unwanted-Calls-Phone-.
It is the job of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to protect your interests when it comes to this kind of scam. Complaints can be filed at: https://www. consumerfinance. gov/complaint/.
The website to contact the FBI at is https://www. fbi. gov/contact-us. Your Attorney General’s contact information can be found by doing an online search that includes the name of your state and the words “attorney general contact information. "
The caller’s telephone number The telephone number you were told to call A brief description of the call The exact date and time that you received the call Where you received the call (exact location and time zone)
Calls that could signal potential identity theft include those that request your personal information, including your social security number or bank account numbers. The caller may say you owe medical bills or that you have debt that you don’t have and that you need to supply information to clear it up. Scams that should be reported to the SSA include calls that state that they are representing the SSA and those that try to get your social security number from you.
Call the general customer service number of your phone company and tell the operator that you are trying to report a number being used for a scam.
“You’ve been selected for a special offer. " “Buy our product and get a special bonus prize. " “You’ve won a valuable prize. " “You’ve just won money in a lottery. " “We’re looking for investors in a low risk, high return investment. " “To get this great offer you need to make up your mind right away. " “You trust me, don’t you?” “There’s no need to check our company out with anyone. " “We just need to put the shipping and handling charges on your credit card. "
If you are suspicious of a call from a company but you’re scared that the caller might be telling the truth, simply tell them you are going hang up the phone and call the company yourself. If the caller is above board, they should have no problem with you doing this.
In many cases, scammers use a wide variety of numbers to run their scams, so this technique won’t keep scammers at bay for long. However, it will make getting through slightly more difficult.
The downside of this technique for blocking scam calls is that businesses you are dealing with will not be able to get a hold of you directly. If your phone number is a business line, you may not be able to do this. It is a better technique for a personal phone line.
There are a variety of organizations that are not required to follow the Do Not Call Registry. This includes organizations and businesses who have an established relationship with you, non-profit organizations, and those businesses or organizations that you have given contact permission to.
