As the nation’s consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) works to stop fraud, deception, and unfair business practices through enforcement. All scams reported are documented in the Consumer Sentinel Network , a reporting database.
The modus operandi of the scammers ranges from phone calls, text messages and social media messages asking unsuspecting individuals to pay money through wire transfer, payment apps like Venmo, cryptocurrency, and even cash.
If you or someone you know have been a victim of a fraud, please visit reportfraud.ftc.gov to report it. To stay up to date with information about scams in your region, sign up for FTC’s consumer alerts at ftc.gov/consumeralerts.
Report fraud to:
reportfraud.ftc.gov
Commodities Futures Trading Commission t cftc.gov/complaint
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sec.gov/tcr.
Resources
Language Assistance
FTC’s call center accepts reports in multiple languages, in addition to English and Spanish so consumers from diverse can file fraud and identity theft reports in their preferred language. The new languages available include Amharic, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Somali, French, Arabic, Russian, Korean, Portuguese, and Polish. If your preferred language is not on the list, follow prompts which will allow you to select a language and speak with an interpreter.
For more information in English, Spanish, and other languages, go to ftc.gov/scams
Practical Guidance
The website offers practical guidance to help people know how to spot, avoid, and report scams and bad business practices. resource materials are available in all languages mentioned above
It has information to help you know what to do if you have paid a scammer, steps to take to try to get your money back, and how to protect your personal information.
A fraud handbook for recent immigrants and refugees provides information about common scams such as immigration and job scams
Guidance for small business owners provides information on how to spot and avoid typical scams targeting businesses like fake invoices and business impersonation scams.
Housing Scams
Foreclosure risks and scams target homeowners of color. Homeowners can seek legal services for home preservation counseling through organizations like Housing & Economic Rights Advocates (HERA), and California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA)