Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Most scams violate federal laws and regulations, but a few are investigated
by state or local authorities. In general, if a scam uses the national
services, like the US mail postal service, that would be reported to the related
national agency, like the USPS, (see
this page for reporting federal agencies). Scams involving businesses and
scammers operating from a location within a state's borders would often be
reported to a state agency. City, county, regional, and state consumer offices offer a variety of
important services. They might mediate complaints, conduct investigations,
prosecute offenders of consumer laws, license and regulate professional
service providers, provide educational materials and advocate for consumer
rights. To save time, call before sending a written complaint. Ask if the
office handles the type of complaint you have and if complaint forms are
provided. See the United States list of state agencies below:
The officials listed in this section regulate and supervise state-chartered banks. Many of them handle or refer problems and complaints about other types of financial institutions as well. Some also answer general questions about banking and consumer credit. If you are dealing with a federally chartered bank, check Federal Agencies.
Each state has its own laws and regulations for each type of insurance. The officials listed in this section enforce these laws. Many of these offices can also provide you with information to help you make informed insurance buying decisions.
Each state has its own laws and regulations for securities brokers and securities - including stocks, mutual funds, commodities, real estate, etc. The officials and agencies listed in this section enforce these laws and regulations. Many of these offices can also provide information to help you make informed investment decisions.
State Utility Commissions regulate services and rates for gas, electricity and telephones within your state. In some states, the utility commissions regulate other services such as water, transportation, and the moving of household goods. Many utility commissions handle consumer complaints. Sometimes, if a number of complaints are received about the same utility matter, they will conduct investigations.
And please let us know about any suspicious calls or emails you receive. We look for patterns so that we can alert the authorities and victims to new scams, before it is too late!
For a comprehensive list of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.