Here’s a giant collection of resources to help you file complaints against scams and work towards recovering your money.
The question of “what can we do to stop these scams” often gets asked around here. Here’s a list of places where you can take action if you think that a company is scammed or defrauded you in any way. The more complaints you file the better as this helps the different agencies build cases against illegitimate companies and helps protect other consumers from falling for scams.
A special thank you goes out to Paul from WorkAtHomeTruth.com for compiling this information in a post titled How to file Consumer Complaints. Paul is an old friend of I’ve Tried That and one of the few people online actively fighting against scams.
Where to File a Complaint/Report a Scam
IMPORTANT! Do NOT file complaints just because you are “mad” at a company. However, if you feel a company has acted deceptively in your dealings with them or is engaging in unfair business practices then the following is the where and why of how to file complaints:
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The Better Business Bureau
You should DEFINITELY file complaints with the Better Business Bureau.
Why file complaints with the BBB:
While I do have some issues with the BBB, they are a great resource when it comes to filing complaints against a company. A complaint can be a good avenue of getting in contact with a company or, at the very least, act as a warning for others.
Not only that, but the FTC reviews complaints from the BBB on a regular basis as part of their gathering of extrinsic evidence on cases (essentially that means evidence outside their review of the actual sales materials and sales process).
Click here to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
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The Attorney General
You should DEFINITELY file with your AGs Office and the AG of any state that the company is operating out of.
Why file complaints with the AGs:
Paul writes…
One of my friends is an attorney that used to work for the Missouri Attorneys General’s office. Here’s what she told me:
She said that typically ONE state AG will will investigate a company first and then file suit against them if they feel it is justified. After that OTHER AGs will sometimes also file against the company. And AFTER the AGS file, the FTC takes notice and considers filing against the company.
Click here for a full list of Current Attorneys General’s Offices
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The Federal Trade Commission
You should file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Why file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission
The FTC doesn’t handle individual complaint cases, but they use complaints to gather evidence against a company should they decide to take action.
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IC3.gov – The Internet Crime Complaint Center
You should file a complaint with IC3.gov (The Internet Crime Complaint Center)
Why file complaints with IC3.gov
IC3.gov is useful for law enforcement to determine if certain potential cases are related, even if they appear to be from different sectors.
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Your State’s Office of Consumer Protection
It may be helpful to contact your State’s Office Of Consumer Protection
Why contact your State’s Office Of Consumer Protection
Some Consumer Protection Offices do facilitate dispute resolution. However, you should note that certain complaints may be within the jurisdiction of other local, state, or federal offices.
Click here to find your State’s Office Of Consumer Protection
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Your District Attorney’s Office
It may be helpful to contact your District Attorney’s (United States Attorney’s) Office
Why contact your District Attorney’s Office
The District Attorney prosecutes criminal matters and represents the U.S. Government in civil matters.
Click here to find your District Attorney’s Contact Information
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The United States Postal Inspection Service
If you believe you’re a victim of fraud related to the U.S. Mail, including mailed sweepstakes, lotteries, on-line auctions, work-at-home scams or chain letters, report your concern to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service as mail fraud.
Click here to file a complaint with the United States Postal Inspection Service
- FTC Policy Statement On Deception – Although it’s old, FTC attorneys continually refer to this policy statement as an important statement of how the FTC judges whether or not a company has engaged in an act of deception.
- FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection – I encourage you to note this part: “Wants to hear from consumers who want to get information”. If you have a question or are unclear about anything you read on the FTC site, ASK them to clarify.
- Full Text of the Safe Web Act of 2006 – Enacted as a means to help law enforcement fight cross-border fraud.
- Scope and Limitations of Data Sharing within the Safe Web Act – from the Federal Register
- Help With My Bank – can be helpful if you are trying to recover your money as it shows you how to work with your credit card company or bank.
- Consumer Rights For credit and debit cards – easy to read summary explaining important differences between debit card disputes and credit card disputes.
- Debit Card facts – covers much of the previous, but also goes into how some companies hold as much as $50 – $75 more than what you actual owe for as long as several days thereby locking out your access to your own money.
Extra Resources:
If you have any additional resources to add, please add a comment below.
8 Responses
I join PTC sites to find out which ones are really paying, and which ones are simply scams. I found that a lot of them really are just scams. What bothers me the most is that these sites are still active and keeps attracting innocent victims. These guys earn money through their sites, while you keep reading till you reach your so called “Pay-Out” Amount, and when you do, simply nothing happens, they don’t even reply to your e-mails.
Can you please start investigating these sites, and if possible by any means force these sites to close down. Thanks for keeping us updated as to who to trust and whom not.
Regards
Sonette
Awesome, Steve
I hope more people will follow your/our lead.
Lately been getting calls from out of state and door to door sales people from out of state trying to sell Home Security Alarms. Alot of them saying ‘if we can put a sign in your yard you could get the Home Security Alarm for FREE’. One of my friends was going to try it and was doing the paperwork , then almost to the end was being signed up to purchase a cell phone on top of the Alarm.
The out of state calls uses the UNKNOWN-OUT OF AREA (CALLER ID) with the out of state area code number and never leave a message. A few people who have talked to a person say the first company they claim to be is Home Security Group a distributor for GE Home Security Alarms, then Maximum Security Alarms Systems Inc. or a few other Alarm companies call and try to set up the sales interview. It sounds like there is a headquarter company out of state that has affiliates in certain states that is making these TELEMARKETING calls to mostly cell phone numbers. The suspicious thing about these calls are they ask 1) Where do you live? 2) What kind of house do you live in? 3) Who am I talking to? since they called your phone shouldn’t they know who they’re calling and where? I NEVER talked or answered these UNIDENTIFIED-UNKNOWN (caller id) out of state calls, but web search the numbers and see several web sites with hundreds of complaint posts with information posted. Just a bunch of SHADY TELEMARKETING or Regular Businesses out there now a days so Be Careful and check out sites like I’ve Tried That.
Run don’t walk away from http://www.fromhomedataentry.com…..such scammers….unfortunately I didn’t check them out until I gave them money and did the work. of course they present themselves as legit but they are not….you will not be paid. The scam is you wait 6 to 8 weeks to be paid after doing the work and they tell you sorry you did something wrong and of course no refunds…I found out this is the standard response when asked for a person asks for payment. Also the third party vendor is plimus which I have found to be very shady….skip this one unless you want to lose money….my own fault….I should have done the RESEARCH!
If youve been a victim of a Moneygram scheme, immediately contact Western Union. If u contact them before the scammer picks up the money theres a chance u can get it back. I was not so lucky!
Attn: Sir /Madam,
WE THE MONEY GRAM URGENT REMITTING OFFICE HAVE SENT YOUR FULL COMPENSATION PAYMENT OF $2.3MILLION USD TO YOU THROUGH MONEY GRAM, YOU WILL BE RECEIVING $10,000.00USD PER DAY. NOW WE HAVE SEND THE FIRST PAYMENT TO YOU. SO CONTACT OUR DIRECTOR Mr. Paddy Moris. AND ASK HIM TO GIVE YOU THE MONEY GRAM PAYMENT INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN BEABLE TO PICK UP YOUR FUNDS THROUGH MONEY GRAM WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.
HERE IS THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF MONEY GRAM
DIRECTOR GENERAL :Mr. Paddy Moris.
EMAIL ADDRESS : ( moneygranoffice08@gmail.com )
PHONE NUMBER :+229 98247789
THEN CONTACT HIM WITH YOUR FULL INFORMATION.
Receiver name :__________
Country:_________________
City:____________________
Test question:___________
Answer:__________________
Telephone number:________
CALL OR EMAIL HIM NOW SO THAT HE CAN PROVIDE THE MONEY GRAM INFORMATION TO YOU AS URGENT AS YOU CAN.
THANKS AND GOD BLESS “U”
ELDERLO JAMES
You can forward all of these emails to the FTC at the following address: spam@uce.gov. They are working hard to put a stop to these scammers. All the emails I have received of the sort have been forwarded to them and I have not received another from some companies.
Hello I wonder if this company (Global Gas Card) for which I paid a membership of $ 170 is regulated in the United States and has no legal problem.