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Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Consumer Fraud Reporting is an free online service to warn consumers about
specific types of financial and other scams via the internet and provide a means
to report scams and fraud.
In addition to thousands of actual examples of scam letters, emails, faxes
and transcripts of phone conversations to help you identify a scam, we have many
pages of concise lists of contact information, links, phone numbers and guidance
to help you report the scam to the proper authorities, and to try to recover
your loss.
To keep
up to date on the types of scams in global circulation we stay in regular
contact with overseas consumer agencies. If you are interested in a breakdown on
the most recent
FBI reports of Internet Fraud, Scam and Crime Statistics, see this page.
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!
Resources
What to do
if you think you have already been the victim
of a fraud or identity theft.
The 2026 Top 10 list of scams
- see which scams are
affecting the most people
Tipping Scams and Deceptive Practices
- what you need to know and how to protect yourself
Master list of reporting scams and frauds to the correct government
agency
How to FORCE AI Search engines to
provide better, more accurate answers!
State and Local Consumer Protection Agencies,
Master List
for the United States
- If you are looking for the best local consumer
protection agency to use to report a scam, seek advice, to obtain assistance
in resolving a dispute, this list has the contact information!
Local FBI Office Listings to find the closest FBI office to report a crime or scam.
Making Money Online?
We wouldn't recommend ANY of the "money making programs" you see
advertised on TV, radio, print or the internet.
And we haven't got one to sell
you, either
. But w did create another website,
www.ConsumersGuideToMakingMoneyOnline.org
to show you how to earn
an income online, legitimately!  You can ignore the advertisements
there (the ads pay for the website, but  ALL of the information is free
on the websites without buying anything, signing up, entering an email
address, or providing a credit card.  Free means free!
Recommendations about which products work best
for anti-spyware, anti-adware, ant-virus, etc. and
links to discounted prices.
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
FTC Actions Against Scammers, MLM, Pyramid
Schemes, Fake Sellers and More
Resources lists and guides
see this page for many more resources, such as lists of domain extensions for other countries, telephone country codes,
area codes, etc.
Notices of class action lawsuits, settlements and court cases regarding scams.
Online server backup
Ensure that your files are safe and
protected
Most Current alphabetized list of emerging and current scams
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
Zelle Scams: on Auction Sites, Like eBay, fake marketplace listings, and
overpayment scams
FedEx scam emails:
We're very sorry your package was lost
or
Your Scheduled FedEx Delivery Has Changed
or
Important: Your FedEx Delivery Changed, We’re sorry your package was lost
BALANCE OF NATURE SCAM CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT
(Deadline passed, was March 11, 2026)
SEE THIS PAGE TO SUBMIT A CLAIM FOR REFUNDS
StateProgram-Confirm EmaiI for Complimentary Roadside
Kit for LocaI Drivers
Social Security and Medicare scam emails
Spam and scam phone calls,like "Caroline
calling with an update on your business loan. "
Costco scams:
Costco: Your
membership has expired
Costco
says your Membership expired
Costco, claiming Your
membership and brewer offer is ending
COSTCO Update, Your free Keurig brewer
Sams Club:
Claim your $100 Sam's Club gift card
PayPal, claiming Hello: Order ID Transaction payment confirmation received
and/or Here's Your Invoice
PayPal, claiming Your total amount of unpaid charges is $495.20
Service support, claiming Mail Deactivation Request – In Progress
TD Business Lending
underwriting, claiming This is Nicole Bennett calling about your loan request
Kroger Member Care, claiming Reminder: Your shopping card remains active through today, Receive a 100 Kroger Gift Card
BlueCross / Blue Shield scams:
Your 2026 plan has an update, choose your preferred option
BlueCross Health, claiming Your 2026 plan has an update, choose your preferred option
Check-out your 2026 Coverage update by BIueCross
BlueCross: Your health kit ships this weekend
BlueCross: ew information from BlueCross about your 2026 Coverage
BCBS Member Services , claiming Your health kit ships this weekend
Schwab Identity Verification Required.
Scam Etrade Alert: Urgent Review
From Lowes, Your EGO Power+ Blower and $85 Card Is On The Way
State Farm - text - free Garmin Dashcam
Tractor-Supply,Co. is allocating you a complimentary 3500Watt Generator-Just Today
Marriott Stay, Information regarding your stay
Version 2:
Marriott
"A gift to show our appreciation"
Amazon Recruiting scam text message
Document Pending: Your updated Social Security
Statement is now available online Scam
Scam Driving
Violation text message
PayPal scam, claiming Friendly
Payment Reminder: Invoice P12KT48139
Coinbase scams, scam text messages
Mail Deactivation Request In Progress, claiming We received your request on 1st Jan 2026 to deactivate your mail and
this request will be processed shortly
DocuSign scam emails
CapitalOne
Your Disputed Transaction Is Now Available for Review Scam
Capital One Verify Recent Activity on Your
Capital One Credit Card Scam
2026
MCAFFE (
McAfee),
claiming Time is running out
McAfee automatic renewal scam email
and
another version here
GeekSquad fake invoice scam
Credit card debt relief program
PayPal scam emails:
Paypal fake invoice, fake order
and
You sent a $489.99 USD
payment to
Andy Brue
, and
Thank
you for purchasing NORTON 360 Deluxe through PayPal
MyGov
You have a new message in your myGov Inbox
You requested $899.99�USD from Pay-Pal as a loan to pay your pending balance at the Apple Store
Meta / Facebook scam email "Your account
will be block disabled"
and
here is another
version
Ebay - fake bill,
"Your Order Id 905438
payment is completed
Your delivery will be sent back - scam
Scam Email, supposedly from Norton 360, claiming:
"Follow up email after the membership expired, a charge has been processed for your 1-Year membership"
Latest scam email claiming to be from FedEx
Facebook scam message, Fanpage final
warning
Costco scam email: Today is the final day to
extend your account by a year. !!FOR_FREE.!!
Backyard chickens and poultry scams
Norton Lifelock Antivirus
Amazon scam email:
We have temporarily placed your account on hold and canceled any pending
orders
Another recent Scam Amazon Email
supposedly 'A message
from Amazon Costomer Service'
PayPal scam invoice sent by email
Facebook Meta Legal Department
and
another version
Important Notice:
Suspension Pending Review, Meta's Legal Department, Walt Disney Studios
Coinbase scam "[ACTION REQUIRED]: Verify your
wallet transactions"
and
Coinbase scam email
"request to close your coinbase account"
The HR Memo Salary increase from Human Resources Manager Scam email
Microsoft Teams sent you a message - You won an Apple iPhone
Email "invoice" scams - with attached invoice
Paypal email scam: "Your account has been suspended"
Facebook Marketplace Scams
- What to do
American Express "Unauthorized use of card 390105" Scam
Paypal email scam: "Your account has been limited"
The "hi" text message from a phone number you do not recognize
Ooma Tele - home phone
- problems to beware
NetFlix - scam email
"Your NetfIix Membership Has Expired And Been Canceled, Get An Extra 90 Days On Us"
Medicare scam text messages
Yahoo Mail, claiming "we are closing all old versions of Yahoo Mailbox"
Scam PayPal bill by email
Cellphone malware popup "Drink more water" "Device running hot" How to get rid of it!
TrustBastion from the "Hugging
Face" Platform
Email attachments "Invoice due"
Costco
email gift card scam
Review of Balance of Nature:
What is it really? Exaggerated Claims?
Amazon
Reminder: Account Review Needed your Amazon account is locked
PayPal
Fake Payment Requests
PayPal:
Fake Invoice received
and
another example, in which you supposedly bought an iPhone
on Amazon
Phixey
Membership phone, tablet, laptop repair service
Costco
- Fake email claiming to be from Costco - Answer Survey, You have been selected
Geek Squad
annual subscription renewed
CashApp
scam calls
UPS Scam email with malware attachment "Your package has arrived!"
Domain extensions and TDL's (Top Level Domains) commonly used by
scammers
Hand sanitizer scams
- hand sanitizers that don't work or
are dangerously
Are
Robocalls driving you nuts?  See what's happening
and what you can do.
Vitamin, Supplements and Superfood Scam
The
FBI emails you to tell you "your email address won a
foreign lottery"
Google Docs email scam
- don't open that
link to Go
ogle Docs
Is
China flooding the market with fake rice made from
plastic?
Telomere testing and "Teloyears"
Have you received a phone call saying the IRS is filing a lawsuit against you?
Is Dr. Oz a scammer?
Brian Williams
scam news man
Flappy Birds
clone game with malware
Fake
Japanese Earthquake disaster scams - find out how to donate safely to the
earthquake relief efforts in Japan and Haiti.
The latest harassing spam robo call:
"Stop! I can show you how to earn $10,000 right now!"
"Your Car Warranty Has Expired" Scam
- the FTC has sued the scum behind
these annoying calls! 'This is one of the most
aggressive telemarketing schemes the FTC has ever
encountered,' said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. 'I'm not
sure which is worse, the abusive telemarketing tactics
of these companies, or the way they try to deceive
people once they get them on the phone. Either way, we
intend to shut them down.
See this page for the latest information.
Tax Scams
- Now that it is the "tax season" in the U.S. tax scams are
everywhere.  See this page for of the current tax scams.
Ponzi Scams
Learn about Charles Ponzi,
Bernard Madoff
and how the scams work.
Matthew Lesko
Screaming nutjob in a green question-mark suit peddling rubbish. If that
isn't clear enough,
read our full review here.
Celebrity Scams
- Is that email really from your favorite TV or movie star, Sports
hero or other celebrity?
Ransomware
spreading by email on May 12, 2017: "Ooops, your files have been encrypted!"
Court, Legal and Criminal Activity:
Scammers Caught!
Want to read summaries of scammers who have been indicted or convicted?
See this page for recent cases.
The Sales Mentor scam
Internet Fraud, Scam and Crime Statistics
This page should be very useful for journalists and students researching
internet crime.
Lotteries, Promotions and Prizes
ottery 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
UK / United Kingdom Lottery scams
Canadian Lottery Scams
Irish lottery scams
Sweepstakes and Prize Scams
- similar to lotteries, except, by law, you are supposed to not need to buy
anything in order to win
Promotion Scams and Rip-offs:
Did you receive a phone call, email or notice in the mail
that you are an "instant winner" or that you are guaranteed to have won one
of several prizes? Maybe you completed a card at a store or put your name
and address in a box to win a vacation, or perhaps you dropped your business
card into a fishbowl. Often, this is a legal way for marketing companies to
harvest your name, address, email and phone number to suck you into to a
legal rip-off.
Scams against the hearing-impaired.
Scammers are equal-opportunity criminals; if you
have a handicap, they'll do their best to con you into thinking there is a
special grant or lottery just for that!
Arrest Warrant Scams
Arrest Warrant Scam
- Scammers create a fake Caller ID, which
allows them to call you and appear to be calling from a local police, sheriff or other
law enforcement agency. They say there is a warrant out for your arrest,
but that you can pay a fine in order to avoid criminal charges. Of course,
these scammers don't take credit cards; only a Western Union MoneyGram,
other wire transfer or pre-paid debit card will do
Astrology, Psychic, Faith and Religion Scams
Astrology and psychic schemes
sent from an overseas based
psychic, clairvoyant or astrologer offering fortune telling books, reports
or a talisman for a fee.
Banking Scams
ATM Scams
- Crimes at the Bank
Machine
Buying, Selling, Shopping and Auctions Online and Off
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
Classified Ad Scams
- Online classified ad websites like Craig's List (craigslist.org and
craigslist.org.uk) and newspapers have enabled millions of individuals to connect buy and
sell a great variety of personal merchandise, but the scammers are operating
there, just as everywhere else.
See this page for illustrated examples
that explain how the scam works.
Fake checks from
fake buyers
- If you have something to sell, whether you are one person
selling a used item or a business, there's a scammer waiting for you, as
long as you are willing to take a check for more than the price of the item.
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. And
see this page for a list of banks that have reported stolen checks
, to see if the
check you received is from one of them!
Fake online stores
- Is
that website offering fantastic prices legitimate? How can you tell?
Check here for tips and lists of known scam shopping websites.
Pet scams
- Photos of cute
puppies that are stranded, free to a good home>  It's a scam!
Shopping scams
- "Win a
Free Laptop", "refer friends and take 1 offer" and get a free computer.
These shopping "deals" are no bargain!  See this page!
Checks / Cheques - Fake and Counterfeit
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. And
see this page for a list of banks that have reported stolen checks
, to see if the
check you received is from one of them!
Fake checks from the Comparison shopper scam.
Got a check in the mail you
didn't expect?  Don't' cash it yet!
Fake checks from fake buyers
- If you have something to sell, whether you are one person
selling a used item or a business, there's a scammer waiting for you, as
long as you are willing to take a check for more than the price of the item.
Computer viruses, Worms and Other Malware
Spyware, Adware and other malware
Learn what they, how they work and what you can do to protect your pc!
Comic Relief - The Funny Side of Scams
Entertainment in the World of Scams
- looking for humor and a laugh?  Read some of these stories of dumb scammers and
scam-baiters turning tables on the scammers!
Con Men / Con Games
Confidence scams
- Not all scams and scammers appear in email, a letter or a phone
call.  Some approach you where and when you least expect them: in church,
at school, in a grocery store or gym. Fond what to watch out for here.
Counterfeit Products
Counterfeit Shoes: Nikes (and Others)
- What You Can Do After Being Scammed
Credit Reporting
Free credit reports
- find out
about the scam "free" credit report websites and how to get a real, free
credit report.
What Are Credit Scores, Credit Reports and How Do They Work?
Debt collection scams
Debt collection, laws and your rights
Debt collection: what to do if you are being harassed
Debt collection: state statutes of limitations
Debt collection scam emails and phone calls
Debt consolidation loan scams
Domain registry scams
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!
Dubious Claims and Commercials
You just saw a commercial on TV, heard it on the radio or saw a website, and are
wondering, is that for real or a scam?  Is that product or service. See
this page of commercials and claims we are currently investigating.
SocialSecurity211.com
Education Scams
Quick degree scams
- "Get your degree in 30 days!" "No studying required", "Turn your
experience into a degree". Sure, they're accredited and the degree is legal
and meaningful. And we have some swampland to sell you, too.
Click here for details.
Email Scams and Spam
Spam Email
- Endless unsolicited help in
getting a cheap mortgage, enlarging your
genitals,
buying Viagra or cheap drugs, software or losing weight. Many of these also
contain worms and viruses! And don't think for a moment that the "sent from"
or "reply to" addresses are real.. or really who sent it.
See this page about falsified email addresses: spoofing!
How to Stop Spam almost forever! Y
ou don't have to face an inbox full of
porn, spam, scams and junk every day.
Here's how to stop it.
Scam emails with trick contracts
- bait and
switch and other scams, like
the
World Business List.
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
Poor widows and orphans of super wealthy diplomats, Generals, Presidents and whatever... with millions in an account that you can help get!
Celebrity Scams
- Is that email really from your favorite TV or movie star,
Sports hero or other celebrity?
ATM Card Scams - Nigeria owes you money from an inheritance / contract file
Lawyers and Barristers with Dead Clients Bank Accounts (they could give lawyers a bad name)
Government officials, bankers, insurance managers and account managers, all with dead rich clients
Foreign business deal scams - need a partner or rep where you live (lucky you!)
Religious scams - "Oh, for the love of Christ..."
Fake grants, loans and credit card applications (take our millions, please!)
Miscellaneous: No classifications - It's hard to figure out WHAT the scam of these gibberishy emails are supposed to be!
Extortion Scams
Extortion Scam Explained
Extortion scam emails
Porn Watching Extortion - aka, Sextortion
: the
scammer sends an email in which the scammer claims to
have used software to activate the camera on your device
and recorded you watching porn, which he will send to
everyone in your contact list
Death Threat Extortion Scams
: Not satisfied
with trying to con money from victims, some scammers are trying death
threats and extortion scams.  See this page for more information and
sample emails.
Scams written in languages other than English
En Espanol -
Haga clic aqu para ver descripciones en espanol
In French -
Scams in French
and
this one
Fake Organization Scams
Fake government agencies, non-existent charitable organizations
and other fake groups and
entities - there are a host of scammers who create legitimate sounding
organizations that do not exist or exist only on paper.  Before you
donate or pay some organization, check here for the frauds!
False or deceptive advertising and defective products
See current cases of false advertising
, defective product investigations, exaggerated product
claims, product scams and the court or FTC settlements.
Click here to search the FTC database
to see if a particular company or product has been investigated
for false advertising, defective products or other trade issues? Just search
the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) database.
Fax Scams
Are junk faxes and fax scams
with names like "vacation memos" and "stock tips" piled up on your company
fax machine? Does you fax machine spew out junk advertising? Read about
these scams here.
Grants - Fake
The fake grant scam
is a
variation of the counterfeit check passing scam.  See this page for
more information.
If you are looking for information about
college scholarship, grant and loan scams, see this page.
"Green Card Lottery"
Its real name is the Diversity Lottery and scams abound for it.  In
fact there are far more scams than legitimate websites and services.
See this page for the facts of how both the real DV lottery works... and how the scams work
Health Insurance and Healthcare Scams and Spams
How
to Stop Health Insurance Sales Calls
Health Insurance, medical insurance, Life insurance scams
Hoaxes, Myths and Email Chain Letters
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...
Fake business deals
"I need a business partner in the U.S."... and more.
House, Home and Apartment Scams
Home repair scams
- Just because they advertise in the yellow pages, drive a business van, or
look like a technician, doesn't mean they aren't out to scam you!
Mortgage scams
Identity Theft and Credit Reports
Some of the most common identity theft and credit report scams are listed below.
You can protect yourself from
identity theft
, but do your homework. Many companies have resources available online to help you know
your best options.
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.
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!
Freeze your credit
! Did you also know that in many states you can freeze to
credit information  Even if your state is one of the few that doesn't
allow a freeze, you can still freeze your files at the three major credit
bureaus.
See this page for more information about both freezes.
Credit card account information thefts
- if you have a credit card from a bank or
department store, you may want to periodically check this page, to see if
your account information has been stolen!
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?
Insurance scams
Health Insurance, medical insurance, Life insurance scams
- In the wake of the Affordable Care Cat, Health insurance scams are
everywhere.  Find out if yours is a scam here.
Investing, Currency, Precious metals, Retirement, Loans, Debt Collection and Other Financial Scams
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.
Investment and Retirement Scams - The "Free Lunch Seminar" Scam
- Have you been invited to a free
lunch to hear a "seminar" about retirement planning, investing and/or tax
strategies?  Beware that scam!
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.
Currency and metals scams
- Gold,
Silver, Bitcoin,  foreign currency trading and
other forms of money
Loan Scams
- Did you
receive a phone call, email, letter, or respond to an ad that said they
approve loans for anyone, regardless of credit history?  beware!
It is a scam!  See this page!
Scholarship,
Student Loan and Financial Aid scams
Stock and investment scams
beware that "hot" stock tip you received in your email.
Job, Employment and Recruiting Scams
Job Scams
- fake job offers, trying to
either get your personal information, or trick you into showing up for a
multi-level marketing pitch. 30biz.com and others. Also see these borderline scams:
spam job interview emails.
Also see
work from home scams
Loan and Mortgage scams
Mortgage restructuring and foreclosure avoidance scams are on the rise.
See this page to recognize and avoid them
If you are looking for information about
college scholarship, grant and loan scams, see this page.
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.
See this page for information about lottery scams
. Also see our
list of legitimate lotteries
and our
list of scam lotteries
Mail / Postal Scams
Scams in your mailbox
- very
often the same scams that are sent by email are also sent in the surface
post.
Unclaimed sweepstakes winnings checks and letters
Malware
Emails with attachments
that contain viruses, trojans and other malware
Medical Scams
Medical frauds
and
hoaxes
- Don't be fooled
by quacks, fake medicines, magnetic shoe inserts, and electronic abdominal
exercisers.  Find out the truth here!
Miscellaneous Scams: Food, Travel, Etc
Food frauds
- Believe
it or not, there are actually fake foods - usually worthless supplements and
pills and foods making false health claims.
Travel scams
- Have
you "won" a "free vacation"?  But it turns out to be a sales
pitch for time sharing condominiums!
How to hire a contractor and avoid being scammed!
Dr. Steven Gundry, Lectins and other bogus claims
Amazon "Account Locked" scam email
Samsung refrigerator problems, class action lawsuit
Wells Fargo Security Alert "
We have suspended your online banking access
Wells Fargo Required Upgrade Scam email
Google Reward Prize "It's your lucky year"
. Maybe not, if you opened the attachment.
Amazon scam email
- email telling about an order you did not make and a phone number to call;
also see this example
McAfee Scam email
- McAfee Security Subscription that has expired and is on automatic
renewal/upgrade
MacAfee - Symantec
scam email
Norton Lifelock scam email
Coronavirus scams
Anthem Fake Robocall
Emails with malware attachments
Ransomware - what it is and what to do
Facebook scammers
The FDA and FTC are going after essential oil and other coronavirus scams
Zicam to shorten colds - is it worth the cost, and the risks?
FedEx text message scam
V1
Browser Hijacking scams and malware:"Google Chrome Critical Error"
Email Scam: Mailbox Quota Reached. You will be blocked from sending and receiving
Porn Watching Extortion - aka, Sextortion
Robocall scam: Call to claim your refund from Apple and Windows Support.
2020 Social Security Scam Phone Call
Avoid Hurricane Florence Scams
Calls claiming to be from the U.S. Treasury Department
Sam's Club Shopper survey scam
Sam's Club Scam Email
Sums Club - another Sams Club scam email
"Your Microsoft license key has expired" scam call
Apple and Microsoft Technical Support refund scam phone call
The 2017 Equifax Data Breach and Identity Thefts
Polish Springs Bottled Water Scam
Money Making, Income, Get-Rich and "Passive Residual Income" Scams
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!
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
Ponzi Scams
Learn about Charles Ponzi,
Bernard Madoff
and how the scams work.
Mortgage scams
Captured mortgage scammers
- Read about the latest scammers who tried to rip off
homebuyers, caught by the FBI.
Mystery Shopper Scams
Mystery or Secret Shopper scams:
Have you heard that you can get paid to shop, as a mystery
shopper or secret shopper? If you received an email that claims you can earn
a living as a secret or mystery shopper by dining at elegant restaurants,
shopping at pricey stores, or checking into luxurious hotels, beware!
Online Dating and Social Networking Scams
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?
Dating scams and scammers
Con Men aren't just men. And some women you may meet online aren't women, at
all; just more com MEN. See these reports from victims for examples of
online dating scams.
Other Countries: Scams Targeting Residents of Other English-Speaking
Countries
(UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Etc)
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
Phishing scams
Phishing
is scamming to get you to provide private information, like a password to a bank
account, you Social Security Number, etc. Phishing scams are commonly sent by email or phone.
See
examples and what to do on this page
Phone scams
Phone scams
- Calls from unknown numbers, scammers, harassing calls claiming you owe money, threatening you or trying to get
personal identifying information
Phone and collect call scams
- Have you received collect calls which you may not have even
accepted, but got hit with a charge on your phone bill?
Pay Day Loan Scams
How to stop calls from telemarketers.
How to File a Complaint Against Telemarketers
and Robocalls
and how to report them and possibly collect a reward
Rules and Laws That Telemarketers Must Follow
Harassing, obscene, annoying or threatening calls and how to stop them
See this page about junk fax laws and regulations
If you do listen to the pitch,
see this page for characteristics of a telemarketing scam.
To see the latest news, convictions and FTC cases against telemarketers, click here
Scam: Our records show you have not verified your Google
listing
Product Scams
See current cases of false advertising
, defective product investigations, exaggerated product
claims, product scams and the court or FTC settlements.
Click here to search the FTC database
to see if a particular company or product has been investigated
for false advertising, defective products or other trade issues? Just search
the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) database.
Chuck Wollery is busy hawking
"the Willow Curve" for pain.  See this page for our
take on it.
Low "T", Low Testosterone - and similar scam products
- It turns out that medical authorities say this
actually affects very, very few men and the
advertisements enormously hype both the prevalence and
the effects of their "products".
Kinoki Foot Pads
- to remove body toxins by drawing them through
the skin in your feet into a fabric pad.  We thought about writing a
page about this, but honestly it's just so idiotic, that if you buy them, you
probably also have a Q-Ray bracelet in drawer and nothing we could say would
convince you that they are worthless. With regard to the Q-Ray, the FTC filed a complaint with the courts
on May 27, 2003, after several months of investigation and preparation for
litigation (
see this page on the FTC.gov website
). Remember, just because a product is advertised on TV
does NOT mean that its claims are true or approved by any government agency.
They can say whatever they like in an advertisement, and hope the government
doesn't notice or have the resources to go after them. But if you like to call Kinoki up just to express how you feel about their
product, here is their phone number: 888-338-6921. Being such a reputable
company, we're sure they'd
love
to hear from you about how happy you
are with their product.
Right Size Smoothies:
See what we have
discovered thus far about this popularly advertised
weight loss smoothie
Click here for
how to detect a
Scam 2017 Solar Eclipse viewing glasses and safety information
Magnets and magnetic bracelets
RoboCalls
RoboCall scams are prevalent; many people receive 5 or 6 per day,
like this
"Chronic Back Pain scam robo call from "Lisa"
FCC takes action against robocalls
Shopping Online
Shopping scams
and Hidden subscription scam
Spam:
How to Stop Spam almost forever! You don't have to face an inbox full of
porn, spam, scams and junk every day.
Here's how to stop it.
Telemarketing Scams
Spam phone calls.
Do you get
unwanted calls from telemarketers on your cell phone or
home phone? See reports of these calls and examples
here.
How to Stop Health Insurance Sales Calls
How to Block Phone Telemarketers
- Do you receive phone calls from telemarketers?  Or calls
from a fax machine?  Or odd calls in which no one answers on the other end?
Or perhaps a recorded voice tells you to hold on the line? See this page for
what to do!
How to Block Junk Fax
Telemarketers
Fax Scams
- Junk faxes that are designed to look like internal company
memos or other misleading communications
Webmastering / Web development Scams
Domain name / registration scams
- if you have a domain name, sooner or later you will
receive one of these scams.
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!
Work-from-Home scams
Work-from-Home scams
- Tell your boss to jump in a lake. Easy data entry at home.  Medical
transcription.  Be crazy-like-a-fox, or just go-here-next... Yes, work
from home is possible; for the scammers who think up these work-from-home
scams to sell con you! There are a very few work from home programs that
appear to be legitimate -
see this page
Start your own work from Home business
- Better than being an employee
for a call center is being your own business.  This website tells you
how.
What Resources Will You Find Here?
Links, phone numbers and other specific information for many frauds and
scams. See the blue buttons on the left! And
see this page for resources
to
help investigate a potential scam.
Effects of Scams
on the
victims, and even unrelated bystanders, as well as society.
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!
Did you receive an email from CFR?
We also NEVER send out emails, except to respond to consumers who write us -
so if you receive an email from us, without writing to us first, then it is a
scam - do not open it - just delete it.  This is a common scam using
"spoofing", making the email address appear to come from a reputable website,
while loading the message with spam, scams or worse.  So far, there is no
technical way to stop it.
Note About Advertisements Appearing Throughout the Website
We are funded by contributions and advertisers.
We do not have
anything
to do with the advertisers (it is run by a third party). We have not
investigated most of them - so follow the advice in our pages, not the ads.
Don't assume the products or services in the ads have been cleared by CFR!
Products and services that we
do
recommend are:
listed on this page
and
this page
and
the Norton 360 antivirus suite on the left side of each page and
the Scam-o-rama book.
If you see an ad that
is inappropriate, please contact us and we will ask the outside ad aggregators that it be removed.
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