It may be possible to report fraud in a number of different ways, depending on the situation. While there are a different options for reporting fraud, what is done may depend on the type of business and the severity. No matter what has happened, it may be possible to recover some of the losses, or at least warn other people about what is happening. However, without taking actions to report fraud, the victim is left with few options.
In the United States, the National Consumer League has a fraud information center that is set up to report fraud cases. It has information on many different types of fraud, but the most useful tool for those who have been a victim of fraud is the online fraud report form. That not only helps the agency build a database, but it could also provide you with some additional information.
For those who believe they may have been a victim of fraud, the best chance of recovering any losses is if the perpetrators of the fraud are in the same country as the victim. To report fraud where substantial losses of money have occurred, the best place to begin may be with local law enforcement. They may have information about certain fraud scams that are shared among all law enforcement agencies. If so, there may at least be a chance of recovery.
Also, if you believe that the fraud has been perpetrated by a known business in the community, you may also have the ability to report fraud to the Better Business Bureau. In some cases, after a fraud report it may be possible for the bureau to act as an intermediary. In other situations, it may at least help other people from falling into the same situation.
If no criminal action is taken after a fraud report, taking a civil action may be another option. This can be a very effective way to report fraud because it will involve the court system, an often costly and time-consuming action for some companies. It may discourage the company for continuing such practices in the future.
In the United States, nearly every state offers an office of consumer advocacy, or has a department that handles such duties under a different name. This can be another valuable tool for those wishing to report fraud. This allows the victim to use the resources of the state in an attempt to bring justice to perpetrators. In some cases, this may be the only advantage some will have.
In addition, one more option some may take to report fraud is to contact a local news outlet such as a television station or newspaper. In larger markets, these media outlets will often have a reporter assigned to consumer advocacy stories. In some cases, this can be a very powerful voice for those who are reporting fraud scams.