Consumer Fraud Reporting - Free Consumer Protection Information About Scams

What is Consumer Fraud Reporting?

Consumer Fraud Reporting is an online service to warn consumers about specific types of financial scams via the internet.

We also provide information on how to spot the different types of scams. To keep up to date on the types of scams in global circulation we stay in regular contact with overseas consumer agencies.

Consumer Fraud Reporting is fully independent and objective; it is not a government agency or affiliated with any government; we act as an information exchange to help raise public awareness about scams and to help to bring them to the attention of the proper enforcement authorities. Unfortunately, we do not have enforcement powers over local or overseas scams; but we aim to help you to find the proper enforcement agency! We also try to present the facts in a simple, clear, and hopefully, interesting manner!

What Sort of Scams Do We Report On?

See the alphabetized list at left, and click on the topic that interests you.  Or click on the links below in the list of most popular topics.

• Latest scams, cons or just plain rip-offs
  • Bruce A. Berman says he can make you rich!  In fact, he says you need his book to get rich!  And he's so rich, he'll give you his free book and cd, just for the cost of shipping.  You've seen the commercials on tv and heard them on radio.  It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it? Read our review here.
  • Matthew Lesko - Screaming nutjob in a green question-mark suit peddling rubbish. If that isn't clear enough, read our full review here.

• Lottery and prize scams - emails tell you that you have won a prize in a contest you don't remember entering, but you have to pay fees or give them your bank account details. Also see out list of legitimate lotteries and our list of scam lotteries.
• Sweepstakes and Prize Scams - similar to lotteries, except, by law, you are supposed to not need to buy anything in order to win
• Get rich scheme and scam websites - Some websites are themselves scams; claiming to offer you a good deal, when at best, their prices are terrible and at worst, they're identity thieves!
• Check your credit report, for free! Yes, you really can.  The US Government mandated it.  But watch out for the scams.  Find out how, here. And does FreeCreditReports.com give you a free no obligation credit report ?  No, they don't! Read about that here!
• Fake checks - from fake lotteries, EBay buyers and others - Just because someone sends you or gives you a real-looking check, don't assume it is legitimate.  And attempting to cash it can land you in jail! Read more here. And what do you think the scammer say when you call their phone number.  Click here to read a transcript of an actual call to a scammer, as we pose as one of the "winners" he's notified by email
• Spyware, Adware and other malware - Learn what they, how they work and what you can do to protect your pc!
• Identity Theft - we have loads of free facts sheets, guides, resources, contact lists, who to report the crimes to and how to repair the damage here.
• Multi-Level Marketing - they may disguise themselves by selling a small amount of overpriced, hyped products, but don't be fooled. Your chances of success are very small and many are illegal pyramid schemes.
• Phishing - fake emails and fake websites pretending to be your bank, credit card company or other agency, and asking for your private account information. Often they claim to be from PayPal, Barclay's Bank, Citibank, Chase Manhattan bank, or other well-known names.
• Pharming - the latest scam, is that website the one you think it is... or a fake?
• Nigerian Scams: Money Transfer / Advance Fee Fraud / Bank account scams / Fake Business deals (419 scams), such as letters, emails or faxes notifying the recipient that the sender requires help in transferring a large sum of money through your bank account (for reward) usually from Nigerian and Dutch sources. There are many variations on this scheme, including the fake business deal: "I need a business partner in the U.S.", types of money laundering, and others. Also see fake cashier's checks. Also see Jobs Scams. Also see these pages:
  • Samples of  common scams and how to know they are fakes!
  • Names used by scammers for their organizations
  • Names of scammers / names used by scammers
• Russian Dating Scams - You hear of American men meeting beautiful Russian women online and marrying them. But have you heard of all the guys that where scammed, and lost thousands of dollars?.
• Auction Frauds - Do you use Ebay or PayPal, or other auction websites?  Then read these tips to know what to look for! Also see our page on selling scams on the internet
• Fake business deals: "I need a business partner in the U.S."... and more.
• Debt collection scams and unfair collection practices - see this page for the information you'll need to know what to do, whether you owe the debt or think it is a scam.
• Scams in your mailbox - very often the same scams that are sent by email are also sent in the surface post. 
• Domain name registration scams - If you have a website and domain name, you receive what looks like a bill, telling you your domain is about to expire. DON'T pay it - see this page first!
• Medical frauds and hoaxes - Don't be fooled by quacks, fake medicines, magnetic shoe inserts, and electronic abdominal exercisers.  Find out the truth here!
• Astrology and psychic schemes sent from an overseas based psychic, clairvoyant or astrologer offering fortune telling books, reports or a talisman for a fee.
• Email Spams - Endless unsolicited help in getting a cheap mortgage, enlargening your genitals, buying viagra or cheap drugs, software or losing weight. Many of these also contain worms and viruses!
• Job Scams - fake job offers, trying to either get your personal information, or trick you into showing up for a multi-level marketing pitch. See  our review of the "Bruce A. Berman - I got here, you can, too" infomercial, book and cd's. 30biz.com and others. Also see these borderline scams: spam job interview emails.
• Search engine spam - You click on a link in Google looking for some information and you go to a website that has nothing but more links to other websites... and lots of advertisements.  You've been spammed!
• Hoaxes and nuisance scams - Your water bottle won't give you cancer and Bill Gates doesn't want to send anyone to Disney World, least of all, just because you send an email to 20 friends...
• Scams in the United Kingdom - They're very much the same as in the United States, but UK residents may find more useful government phone numbers and reporting here!
• Scams in Ireland and with the Irish Lottery
• Fake bills and invoices - "Pro forma" invoicing: You get a bill that looks real, but either you never ordered the product or service, or they're not really the company you bought it from.
• Food frauds - Believe it or not, there are actually fake foods - usually worthless supplements and pills and foods making false health claims.
• Do You Want To Help?  Here's your chance to help uncover scammers by investigating some of our leads! Read these emails and see if you know whether the business is legitimate or not!
• Travel scams - Have you "won" a "free vacation"?  But it turns out to be a sales pitch for time sharing condominiums!

What Resources Will You Find Here?

• Recommendations about which products work best for anti-spyware, anti-adware, ant-virus, etc. and links to discounted prices.
• Information about the latest scams, frauds and identity theft attempts
• What to do if you think you have already been the victim of a fraud or identity theft
• Guidance about how to protect yourself
• Links, phone numbers and sign up information for the National Do-Not-Call List and the credit card offers opt-out list
• Links, phone numbers and other specific information for many frauds and scams. See the blue buttons on the left!

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