Online Fraud Resource Center

Online Fraud Resource Center
We hope that by educating people about fraud, we can make Cyberspace a safer place to do business.

Do not wire transfer money to people you don't know, including people you "met" on an auction site or someone who "hires" you from overseas. See Western Union's Web site FAQs about Consumer Fraud:
http://www.westernunion.com/info/faqSecurity.asp


"What to Do If You Are Ripped Off Online"

1) File a complaint with eBay File a report immediately with eBay Rules & Safety: http://pages.ebay.com/help/basics/select-RS.html. In order to be considered for eBay's Fraud Protection Program, you should also submit an Online Fraud Complaint at http://crs.ebay.com/aw-cgi/ebayisapi.dll?crsstartpage 30 days after the listing end-date.

2) File a complaint with the FTC
https://rn.ftc.gov/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

3) File a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center http://www.ic3.gov/

4) Contact law-enforcement officials at the local and state level (your local and state police departments)

5) Also contact law-enforcement officials in the perpetrator's town & state

6) File a complaint with the shipper USPS http://www.usps.com/websites/depart/inspect

7) File a complaint with the National Fraud Information Center http://www.fraud.org/info/contactnfic.htm

8) File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau http://www.bbb.org

Auction Fraud Resources

eBayersThatSuck.com

National Fraud Information Center

Escrow Fraud Tips

"Net Crimes & Misdemeanors: Outmaneuvering the Spammers, Swindlers, and Stalkers Who Are Targeting You Online"
Book by J.A. Hitchcock, edited by Loraine Page
2002 CyberAge Books (Information Today Inc.)

Identity Theft Resources

FTC Site on Identity Theft
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft

Mari Frank's Site on Identity Theft (for-profit site)
http://www.identitytheft.org/faq.htm

Identity Theft Resource Center
http://www.idtheftcenter.org

Hoax Emails/Phishing Scams

AuctionBytes Article "Auction Users: Beware Hoax Emails"
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y20 ... bu0104/s04

FTC Consumer Alert: "How Not to Get Hooked by a 'Phishing' Scam"
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/ale ... ngalrt.htm

IRS Fraud Resources
http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforceme ... 86,00.html
http://www.irs.gov/compliance/enforceme ... 78,00.html

Anti-Phishing Working Group
http://www.antiphishing.org

Associated Press Article
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/ ... 0060.shtml

AuctionBytes Fraud Forum
http://www.auctionbytes.com/forum/phpBB ... m.php?f=28
Some AuctionBytes Articles about Fraud

Online Auction Fraud: What You Should Know
Part 1:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y20 ... bu0076/s02
Part 2:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y20 ... bu0077/s03
Part 3:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y20 ... bu0078/s03

Online Escrow Fraud Hits eBay Members
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y02/m10/i25/s01

eBay Auction Fraud Spawns Vigilantism Trend
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y02/m10/i12/s01

"Hoax eMails Continue to Plague eBay Users":
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y02/m11/i07/s01

eBay Fraud Update: 285 Victims Report Losing $60,000
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y03/m03/i14/s01

Jobseekers: Beware New eBay Scam
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abn/y03/m04/i21/s01

About AuctionBytes
AuctionBytes has been helping online-auction buyers and sellers since 1999. Steiner Associates LLC, a privately held company in Natick, Massachusetts, was founded by David Steiner in 1988 as a video production company. In 1999, Steiner Associates LLC introduced AuctionBytes.com, the Buyers and Sellers Guide to Online Auctions.
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http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/

You can find this at AuctionBytes:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/pages/fraud