What and Where You Should Report

[Pinky]

We hear all the time that victims have turned their information over to the police and they don't want to report here or on other ant-scam sites, because their report is under investigation. This is frustrating for us because we know that the report will go nowhere. Even the FBI, CIA, MI5 or IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center), can't do anything for you. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't report to these agencies, but THIS SITE and others like it, are the only places where you can anonymously report your scammer and expose him to potentially save others from his scam. This is the only way you can do any real damage to this criminal's nasty business.

That said, if you just got your heart broken or didn't lose anything of value, it's a waste of time and your law enforcement resources to ask them to chase a scammer who is in another part of the world. They simply cannot cross their boundaries of jurisdiction. But if you lost money, then you should call your local police. First if you have homeowners insurance and on the very slim chance they'll cover your loss, then you'll need a police report. Secondly, scammers are adept at identity theft. Again, you may have insurance to protect you from identity theft, but you're always going to have to start with a police report. Last, if you received gifts, forwarded anything to the scammer like merchandise or checks, or even just letters he asked you to send to others, you are at the end of the paper trail of those items. If there is any chance the police might show up on your doorstep asking questions, it is always best that YOU go to them first.

The next best place to go to report your scammer, if you're an American, is to IC3 http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx. There really is nothing that they will do. They might not even respond to your complaint, but you will be counted as a statistic, which IS very important in fighting these crimes. Please help get the politicians to notice the millions of American dollars that are being siphoned off to Africa. We can always hope for political pressure to get foreign countries to stop the scammers.

Another slightly related topic is the matter of taxes. Often people ask if they can claim the money lost on their federal income tax. The answer is, probably yes, but a few things have to be in place; first, the police report, second your insurance claims denial. Then you have to itemize (long form, schedule C), so if you're a short form filer with no deductions other than dependents, then you won't be able to write off your loss. If you file Schedule C, then I believe the deduction you want is Theft By Deception. However this will never mean you get your money back. All this does is exempt the amount you lost from your already taxable income. In some cases this might result in a larger tax return if your employer has withheld taxes from your paycheck.

Bottom line is, if you sent your money to a scammer. It's not ever coming back. Sorry.

[Pinky]

Wayne suggested I also mention Recovery Scams here.

I would guess that at least half of the victims scammed by internet scammers, will get an unsolicited email from someone claiming to have information on the scammer. Usually these emails are easy to spot as bogus since no law enforcement agency is going to send you a grammatically incorrect, poorly punctuated email using Yahoo.com. However some of these scammers are slick and are aware of all the give-away signs. They disguise their emails with stolen images of official looking logos of law enforcement agencies and purchase official looking email domains. This means that you might get a very credible looking email from Det.Someone @ Internetcrimeservices.com. BEWARE!

We promise you that NO law enforcement agency, officer, investigator, detective, attorney, judge or jailer is going to contact you first. NEVER respond to these emails at all! It will be your scammer or another member of his gang, trying his luck with you on what is called a Recovery Scam. He will want yo to believe that your scammer has been apprehended and your help is needed to prosecute. He will tell you that he can help you get your money back. Again, DO NOT REPLY! If you reply, they will know that you are still out there, accepting emails, reading them and they will persist continuously, trying to find a new way to con you.

Furthermore, if you contact a law enforcement agency and by chance someone happens to contact you back, ASK FOR CREDENTIALS, ASK FOR A LOCAL PHONE NUMBER AND CALL THEM BACK, ASK TO MEET IN PERSON, ASK TO SPEAK ON THE PHONE (and listen for a LOCAL accent. You should only deal with law enforcement from your own community), if you meet in person, ASK TO SEE HIS/HER BADGE.

Don't get scammed a second time.

[Ruffled Feathers]

Thank you Pinky - this is extremely important information you have just passed on.

Unfortunately for me being in Canada, my local police were not very interested in my report, although I do have a file with them it has gone nowhere. Also, while they were at my home taking my information, they insisted I destroy all evidence against my scammer, while they watched, therefore when it came time to post my information, I had nothing substantial to validate my scam. However, that being said, a friend still had information on his computer that was sent to him by my scammer, and I was able to get the posting done with help from Duckhunter.

To add to your advice above, I would suggest to all who report their scams to the local police departments in their areas, do not allow the police to force you to destroy your evidence - it is needed for your reports and postings about your scammer. It is the only way you can make people aware they could become a victim of these devils, and it also reinforces knowledge for the victim(s) that they are not alone.

It is terrifying to find out you have been scammed, but having a site like this to come to for support is the best way of getting back at your scammer. And never be afraid to post your scammer - he is evil, and deserves to be reported and posted. You will not only be helping yourself heal, but you will be helping others at the same time.

Thank you to everyone on this site, RF

[Pinky]

Good points, RF. I'd like to reinforce your admonition to post your scammer's information on this site and as many other anti-scam sites that you can find out there. Plaster the walls of the internet with his info!

If you are hesitating because the scammer might see . . . Have no concerns about this, what-so-ever. He can not harm you. You never need to fear he'll come after you. He is a coward, trapped behind his little computer. He will never show his real face. He might threaten, but he is impotent. You have the power to crush him. Ignore any threats he might make.

If you have sent him pictures that are embarrassing, or perhaps done things you regret on web cam for him, know that he will try and blackmail you - which is why he probably coerced you into doing it in the first place. Do not give into this. He has no place on web that will accept porn and certainly no place where anyone you care about would ever see them. Call his bluff. More than likely he doesn't even have the pictures he says he has. Again, just IGNORE him. He will go away.