The best way to fight scams and spam is to report their originators to the proper government agency. Before you say, “Yeah, like the government is going to do anything to stop these scumbags from committing fraud…”, just imagine the tax dollars you’re pumping into these agencies — they’d damn well better do our bidding. And think of this: what if everyone becomes apathetic and complacent about reporting fraud? Yep, that’s just what the scammers and spammers are counting on. Take the time to report them; nothing will be done overnight, but the more complaints mount for a particular scam artists, the sooner we can drum them out of the fraud business…or, at least, put a serious dent in their scurrilous profit margins.
To help you in what will surely be a seemingly neverending quest for justice against the durance vile scam-perveyors, we’ve searched each government agency’s website to zero in on the precise online forms you’ll need to report scams and spam. We know that these websites are often akin to wandering a huge maze, and so we’ve shortenend the journey for you. Now, go and report those scumbags!
National Do Not Call Registry
https://www.donotcall.gov/
“Your registration will not expire. Telephone numbers placed on the National Do Not Call Registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008. Read more about it at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/04/dncfyi.shtm. The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls at home. Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at this Website. You can register your home or mobile phone for free.”
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/index.shtml
“The Federal Trade Commission is the nation’s consumer protection agency. The FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection works For The Consumer to prevent fraud, deception, and unfair business practices in the marketplace. The Bureau:
- Enhances consumer confidence by enforcing federal laws that protect consumers
- Empowers consumers with free information to help them exercise their rights and spot and avoid fraud and deception
- Wants to hear from consumers who want to get information or file a complaint about fraud or identity theft “
United State Postal Inspection Service
https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/MailFraud/MailFraud.aspx
“U.S. Postal Inspectors investigate any crime in which the U.S. Mail is used to further a scheme–whether it originated in the mail, by telephone, or on the Internet. The use of the U.S. Mail is what makes it mail fraud.
“If evidence of a postal violation exists, Postal Inspectors may seek prosecutive or administrative action against the violator. However, if money is lost through a fraudulent scheme conducted via the mail, Postal Inspectors lack the authority to ensure you receive a refund and can’t require that products, services, or advertisements–on the Internet or elsewhere–be altered.
“Postal Inspectors base investigations of mail fraud on the number, pattern, and substance of complaints received from the public. The Postal Inspection Service will carefully review the information you provide. We may share the information with other agencies when there is a possible violation within their jurisdiction.”
Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB)
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Congress established the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) through the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act).
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
http://www.sec.gov/complaint/select.shtml
DEPARTMENTS OF CONSUMER PROTECTION: REPORT FRAUD ONLINE INFORMATION AND FORMS:
http://www.ago.state.al.us/Page-Consumer-Protection-File-a-Complaint
http://www.law.alaska.gov/department/civil/consumer/cp_complaint.html
http://www.azdfi.gov/CAD/Intro.htm
http://www.ag.arkansas.gov/consumers.html
http://www.dca.ca.gov/consumer/complaints.shtml
https://www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/departments/consumer_protection/file_consumer_complaint
http://www.ct.gov/DCP/cwp/view.asp?a=4302&q=506512
http://attorneygeneral.delaware.gov/consumers/protection/complaint.shtml
http://government.dc.gov/DC/Government/Data+&+Transparency/Consumer+Protection
http://www.800helpfla.com/complnt.html
http://hawaii.gov/dcca/ocp/consumer_complaint
http://www.ag.idaho.gov/consumerProtection/forms/ComplaintFormInformation.html
http://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/consumers/filecomplaint.html
http://www.indianaconsumer.com/filecomplaint.asp
http://www.state.ia.us/government/ag/file_complaint/index.html
http://ag.ks.gov/contact-us/file-a-complaint
http://ag.ky.gov/civil/consumerprotection/complaints/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.ag.louisiana.gov/article.aspx?articleid=36&catid=15
http://www.maine.gov/pfr/consumercredit/complaint.htm
http://www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer/complaint.htm
http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/consumer/insurance/file-a-complaint/
http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-17331—,00.html
http://mn.gov/commerce/topics/consumer-protection/File-Complaint.jsp
http://agjimhood.com/index.php/sections/consumer/complaints
http://ago.mo.gov/consumercomplaint.htm
https://doj.mt.gov/consumer/consumer-complaints/
http://www.ago.ne.gov/complaint
http://ag.state.nv.us/how/report/fraud.html
http://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints/index.htm
http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/comp.htm
http://www.nmag.gov/consumer/file-a-complaint
https://www.dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection/form/complaintform.asp
http://www.ncdoj.gov/complaint.aspx
http://www.ag.nd.gov/CPAT/ConsumerComplaints.htm
http://www.com.ohio.gov/fiin/OCAAbout.aspx
http://www.ok.gov/okdocc/Complaints/index.html
http://www.cbs.state.or.us/dfcs/complaint.html
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/complaints.aspx?id=33
http://www.riag.ri.gov/civil/consumer/forms.php
http://www.consumer.sc.gov/consumer/ComplaintInstructions/Pages/default.aspx
http://atg.sd.gov/Consumers/HandlingComplaints/ConsumerComplaintForm.aspx
http://tn.gov/consumer/complaint.shtml
https://www.oag.state.tx.us/consumer/complain.shtml
Utah
http://www.dcp.utah.gov/complaints/index.html
http://www.uvm.edu/consumer/?Page=complaint.html
http://www.oag.state.va.us/Consumer%20Protection/Where_to_File.html
http://www.atg.wa.gov/FileAComplaint.aspx#.UNut9XewUzQ
http://www.wvago.gov/takeaction.cfm
http://datcp.wi.gov/consumer/consumer_complaints/index.aspx
http://attorneygeneral.state.wy.us/consumer.htm