Don't Become A Victim of Fraud

FRAUD WARNING SIGNS

• Sounds too good to be true
• Pressures you to act "right away."
• Guarantees success.
• Promises unusually high returns.
• Requires an upfront investment--even for a "free" prize.
• Buyers want to overpay you for an item and have you send them the difference.
• Doesn't have the look of a real business.
• Something just doesn't feel right.

PLAY IT SAFE

• Never click on a link inside an email to visit a Web site. Type the address into your browser instead.
• It's easy for a business to look legitimate online. If you have any doubts, verify the company with the Better Business Bureau.
• Only 2% of reported identity theft occurs through the mail. Report online fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.
• Retain your receipts, statements, and packing slips. Review them for accuracy.
• Shred confidential documents instead of simply discarding them in the trash.

FRAUD FACTS

• Your bank will never e-mail or call you for your account number.
• Don't wire money to people you don't know.
• Be cautious of work-at-home job offers.
• Check out the company with the Better Business Bureau.
• There are no legitimate jobs that involve reshipping items or financial instruments from your home.
• Foreign lotteries are illegal in the U.S. You can't win no matter what they say.
• Check your monthly bank statements for charges you don't recognize.
• Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three national credit bureaus once a year from annualcreditreport.com.

GET INVOLVED

• It's never too early to become an informed consumer. Point out "too good to be true" offers to your kids, and teach them to be skeptical.
• Take an active interest in the financial activities of your aging parents.
• Share information about scams with friends and family. Use social networking to help keep them safe.

If you've received a suspected fraud through the U.S. Mail, or if the mail was used in the furtherance of a crime that began on the Internet, telephone or in person, report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service:

U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Criminal Investigations Service Center
ATTN: Mail Fraud
222 S. Riverside Plaza
Chicago, IL 60606-6100
postalinspectors.uspis.gov
1-877-876-2455

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, works to prevent fraud and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid it. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. Watch a new video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more.