CONSUMER ALERT

Certain crimes are best reported online

Submitted by Harold Moldoff

(This is another in a series of public issue columns aimed at informing consumers of their rights and protections. The following information has been compiled by staff of the National Crime Prevention Council.)


The Internet offers you many ways to notify law enforcement of criminal activity. Online complaint forms are available on the websites of government agencies and other organizations that are working to fight certain types of crime. These complaints go into secure online databases that are available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Any crime that is dangerous or life threatening should be reported directly to local law enforcement. Credit card companies and financial institutions should be notified by phone as soon as fraud is suspected. But crimes such as identity theft, computer hacking, spam, and telemarketing fraud may be best addressed by agencies that specialize in these problems. Here is a list of online reporting portals, emails, and phone numbers for the following complaints:

CHARITY FRAUD
www.bbb.org: Better Business
Bureau (BBB)
www.ic3.gov: Internet Crime
Complaint Center (IC3)
www.fraud.org: National Fraud
Information Center (NFIC)
NFIC hotline at 800-876-7060

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY OR
SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
www.cybertipline.com:National
Center for Exploited and
Missing Children (NCEMC)
NCEMC Hotline 800-THE-LOST
(800-843-5678) 24 hours a day
www.ic3.gov: Internet Crime
Complaint Center (IC3)

COMPUTER INTRUSIONS
AND CYBER THREATS
www.ic3.gov: Internet Crime
Complaint Center (IC3)
www.treas.gov/usss/net_
intrusion_forms.shtml: U.S.
Secret Service
www.us-cert.gov: U.S.Computer
Emergency Readiness Team

IDENTITY THEFT
www.ic3.gov: Internet Crime
Complaint Center (IC3)
www.consumer.gov/idtheft/:
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline:
877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)
www.bbb.org: Better Business
Bureau (BBB)

INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS
www.ic3.gov: Internet Crime
Complaint Center (IC3)
www.ice.gov/graphics/cornerstone/
ipr/IPRForm.htm:U.S.Immigration
and Customs Enforcement
www.sba.org: Software
Business Alliance

INTERNET-RELATED FRAUD
www.ic3.gov: Internet Crime
Complaint Center (IC3)
www.consumer.gov/sentinel:
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

MAIL FRAUD
www.usps.com/postalinspectors/
fraud/MailFraudComplaint.htm:
U.S. Postal Inspection Service

OBSCENITY CRIMES
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/
complaints.html: Federal
Communications Commission
(FCC)
Email: fccinfo@fcc.gov.
www.obscenitycrimes.org:
Morality in the Media



ONLINE SECURITIES FRAUD
www.sec.gov/complaint.shtml:
U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) (investmentrelated
SPAM email)Email: enforcement@sec.gov

ONLINE TRANSACTION
INVOLVING A FOREIGN
COMPANY
www.econsumer.gov:
Agencies from 19 nations

PHISHING
reportphishing@antiphish
ing. org: Anti-Phishing
Working Group
www.ic3.gov: Internet Crime
Complaint Center (IC3)
www.consumer.gov/sentinel:
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

PRIVACY VIOLATIONS
www.privacyrights.org:
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
www.bbb.org: Better Business
Bureau (BBB)

SUSPICIOUS ONLINE PHARMACIES
www.deadiversion.usdoj.
Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA)
877-Rx-Abuse (877-
www.fda.gov/oc/buyonline/
buyonlineform.htm:
Drug Administration

TELEMARKETING FRAUD
www.fraud.org:National
Information Center
NFIC hotline at 800-876-7060
www.consumer.gov/
Federal Trade Commission

TERRORIST ACTIVITY
www.fbi.gov/contact/
To find local FBI office
https://tips.fbi.gov:
Bureau of Investigation

UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL
EMAIL (SPAM)
Email: SPAM@UCE.gov:
Trade Commission (
www.sec.gov/complaint.
Investment-related spam

VIOLATION OF
NOT CALL REGISTRY
www.donotcall.gov/:
Do Not Call Registry

WIRELESS AND WIRELINE
PHONE FRAUD
www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.
Federal Communications
Commission (FTC)
888-CALL-FCC (888-225-5322)
Email: Slamming@fcc.
when your phone service
been switched without
authorization)



BE AWARE OF FRAUDULENT ATTEMPTS TO STEAL MONEY FROM YOU!

If you have questions or concerns on offers of solicitations, we encourage you to contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection at (603) 271-3641, or 1-888-468-4454, or Rye Police Department at (603) 964-5522.

(Harold Moldoff is a volunteer Consumer Affairs Specialist with the Bureau of Consumer Protection and Antitrust in Concord, N.H., and is a resident of Rye Beach.)


December, 2007


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