What to Do if You Are Scammed Online

You ordered an item online from an unfamiliar seller and thought nothing of entering your contact information and perhaps your credit card number. Or you responded to what looked like an email from your bank asking for your Social Security number. But was that really your bank? Wouldn’t they already have your number? While the Internet offers a global marketplace for consumers and businesses, crooks also recognize the potentials of cyberspace. Some sell you things that don’t exist, and then take your money and never ship anything to you. Others are “phishing” for personal information, ready to steal your identity or use your credit card number for fraudulent purposes. What should you do if you get scammed?

Stop the Payment if Possible

Certainly if you paid by personal check, try to cancel the check as soon as you figure out you are not getting the goods you ordered. Unfortunately, it is often too late because cashing your check is the first thing the scammer will do.

If you paid by credit card, you can dispute the charges with your credit card company. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly. You may have other issues, however, because now the scammer has your credit card number—so let your credit card company know about the fraudulent transaction immediately and cancel the card.

If you used a U.S. Postal Service money order, let the Post Office know; they take fraud involving U.S.P.S. money orders very seriously.

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Report the Crime

Taking money fraudulently is criminal behavior, and although the perpetrator appears to have gotten away with it, there are things you can do to prevent it from happening again. If you are a victim or attempted victim of Internet fraud, it is important to report the scam quickly to law enforcement agencies so they have the opportunity to shut the bogus operation down.

Law Enforcement Authorities

On the national level, report this type of cybercrime to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). On the state level, report the fraud to the office of the Attorney General. For ease of reporting, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership including the three federal organizations above serves as a vehicle to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints regarding cybercrime.

Other Resources

• The National Fraud Information Center will direct your complaint to the authorities, and provides information on Internet fraud and how to avoid it.
• The National Consumers Leagueprovides many articles, research, tips, and other consumer information on cybercrime.
• CyberCopssupplies some very useful resources. You can file a complaint about your experiences or report suspicious activity on the Net. You can also search the complaint archives, read success stories, and check out a list of reported “suspicious characters.”
• The Better Business Bureau (BBB) registers complaints and allows consumers to check out online companies to see if any previous complaints have been filed against them.

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How to Avoid Being Scammed in the Future

There are simple things you can do to lessen your chances of being scammed online, from not falling for official looking emails until you call the company and check it out, to using the many online resources outlined above. Scambusters.orgis also a very useful consumer website that compiles a list of scams and gets updated often.

Here are some other tips:

• Only deal with familiar entities.Check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau before doing business with anyone online. Always get a physical address and phone number in case there is a problem later. Call the phone number and make sure it’s real!
• Be careful of unsolicited emails.Often they are fraudulent. Never respond to unknown senders. Doing so only confirms for them that yours is a working email address resulting in more unwanted emails. They may also sell email addresses to other scammers. The best approach is to delete the email.
• Understand the offer. A legitimate seller will give you all the details about the products or services, the total price, the delivery time, the refund and cancellation policies, and the terms of any warranty. A cybercriminal will be short on details and long on payment procedures.
• Guard your personal information. Never provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something from a reputable company. Be wary of companies that ask for your social security number online. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information they should already have.
• Don’t believe promises of easy money. If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it is likely a scam.
• Pay the safest way. Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or the offer was misrepresented.
• Think twice before entering contests operated by unfamiliar companies. Fraudulent marketers sometimes use contest entry forms to identify potential victims.

Case Studies: Dealing With Online Scams

Case Study 1: The Fake E-Commerce Website

Mary, an avid online shopper, came across a new e-commerce website offering branded products at unbelievably low prices. Impressed by the deals, she placed an order for expensive electronics and paid using her credit card. Weeks went by, and the items never arrived. The website disappeared, along with her money.

Mary realized she had been scammed by a fraudulent e-commerce platform. Mary’s excitement turned into frustration and disappointment as she waited for the products that never arrived. She attempted to contact customer support, but the phone numbers and email addresses associated with the website were non-functional.

Realizing the extent of the scam, she contacted her bank to dispute the charges. Though she got her money back eventually, Mary felt violated and cautious about shopping online in the future.

Case Study 2: The Phishing Email

John, a busy professional, received an urgent email seemingly from his bank, stating that his account had been compromised. The email instructed him to click on a link and provide his account details to verify his identity. Unaware of phishing attempts, John followed the instructions and unknowingly shared his login credentials with cybercriminals.

Within hours, his bank account was emptied by the scammers. Panic set in when John discovered his drained bank account. He immediately contacted his bank, which confirmed the unauthorized transactions.

While the bank was able to reverse some of the fraudulent charges, John had to go through the hassle of updating his account information and dealing with the financial repercussions. He also enrolled in identity theft protection services to prevent further damage to his personal information.

Case Study 3: The Lottery Scam

Emma, a retiree, received a phone call congratulating her on winning a significant lottery prize. Excited and eager to claim her winnings, she was asked to pay a processing fee to receive the money. Believing it to be legitimate, Emma sent the requested amount.

Unfortunately, the lottery was fake, and she never received any winnings, losing her hard-earned money to the scammers. Emma was devastated when she realized she had been conned by the lottery scam. She felt embarrassed and deceived, wondering how she fell for such a trick.

Emma reported the incident to her local authorities, but the chances of recovering her money were slim. This experience made her wary of any unsolicited communication offering financial gains and taught her to verify the authenticity of such claims.

Case Study 4: The Tech Support Scam

David, a computer user, encountered a pop-up message claiming his computer was infected with a virus. The message instructed him to call a toll-free number for immediate tech support. Desperate to protect his data, David called the number, only to be connected to scammers posing as tech support personnel.

They gained remote access to his computer and installed malware, demanding a hefty sum to fix the non-existent issue. David’s concern for his computer’s security led him to trust the fake tech support agents.

After paying a significant amount, he realized that his computer’s performance did not improve. Suspicious, he contacted a legitimate tech support company, who informed him about the scam. David had to reinstall his operating system and take additional measures to remove the installed malware, resulting in wasted time and financial loss.

Case Study 5: The Romance Scam

Susan, a single woman looking for love, met a charming individual on a dating website. Over time, they developed a deep emotional connection online. However, the person started asking for money, claiming to face various emergencies.

Trusting the relationship, Susan sent money several times before realizing she was caught in a romance scam, and the person never intended to meet her in person. Susan’s emotions were manipulated by the scammer, who took advantage of her vulnerability and desire for companionship. When she discovered the deception, Susan felt heartbroken and betrayed.

She severed all contact with the scammer and shared her experience with friends and family to raise awareness about romance scams. This painful episode taught her to be cautious and skeptical when forming relationships online.

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