No matter how diligent we are, we all are susceptible to online fraud and scams.
Whether you have paid for a product or service that has not been delivered or
have had your personal information stolen, this guide is intended as a starting
point for all victims of online fraud or scams to resolve their issues.
Report your case to the proper authorities
If you live in the US and believe you have been victimized by a website or online
business based outside of your state, you have several options:
(1)
Ic3.gov - the FBI's online
criminal complaint website takes all reports of fraud or other online crimes
(2)
FTCComplaintAssistant.gov -
a useful resource from the US Government's Federal Trade Commission to report
both online and offline civil complaints
(3)
Econsumer.gov - if you
believe the offending website to be outside the US, or if you reside outside the
US, this site run by the US Federal Trade Commission will take your complaints
Tell friends and consumers about your experience
If consumers band together we can collectively prevent the majority of online
fraud and scams. That is, if you share your experience with others, you can help
them avoid your bad experience and ensure that the perpetrators of the fraud or
scam cannot continue to take advantage of other victims. To enable the sharing of
these experiences, SiteJabber provides a platform for
reviewing and complaining about online businesses and websites.