Education • Reporting Resources • Next Steps
Clear information to help you identify common scams, preserve evidence, report suspicious activity to the correct organization, and take practical steps to reduce further harm.
Scam Library
Scammers change names and scripts, but their pressure tactics and payment demands are often recognizable.
Someone pretends to represent the IRS, Social Security, law enforcement, a court, a utility, a bank, or a familiar business.
UrgencyThreatsGift cardsA person builds trust online, avoids meeting, and eventually requests money for an emergency, travel, medical care, investments, or fees.
Emotional pressureCryptoFake platforms, advisers, trading groups, or romantic contacts promise unusually high returns or claim more fees are required to withdraw funds.
Guaranteed returnsFake balanceA pop-up, call, text, or email claims your device or account is compromised and asks for remote access, verification codes, or payment.
Remote accessSecurity codeMessages imitate a bank, delivery service, employer, government office, or subscription company to steal logins and payment details.
Suspicious linkLogin requestA criminal impersonates an executive, supplier, employee, or closing professional to redirect a legitimate payment.
Wire changeVendor fraudFake recruiters offer remote work, send counterfeit checks, request purchases, or require cryptocurrency deposits to unlock earnings.
Easy incomeUpfront paymentFake stores, sellers, buyers, or shipping notices seek payment, credentials, verification codes, or goods without legitimate delivery.
Too-good priceOff-platformYou are told you won a prize but must first pay taxes, processing fees, insurance, or shipping.
Unexpected prizePay to claimFraudsters exploit emergencies, disasters, illness, or public sympathy through fake charities and crowdfunding pages.
Emotional appealUnverified charityCompanies promise guaranteed approval, debt elimination, or rapid credit improvement in exchange for advance fees or sensitive information.
Guaranteed approvalAdvance feeAfter a loss, a new person claims they can recover funds for a fee. They may impersonate an investigator, attorney, regulator, or blockchain expert.
Second victimizationUpfront feeImmediate Response Plan
Fast action may help reduce further loss and preserve useful evidence. Never pay a second person who guarantees recovery.
Do not send more money, reveal codes, click links, install software, or follow instructions from the suspected scammer.
Use a verified phone number for your bank, card issuer, payment app, exchange, or wire service. Ask about freezes, disputes, recalls, or fraud procedures.
Change passwords from a trusted device, enable multifactor authentication, revoke unknown sessions, and contact your mobile carrier if your number may be compromised.
Save messages, emails, usernames, phone numbers, URLs, receipts, wallet addresses, transaction IDs, bank records, screenshots, and a written timeline.
Visit IdentityTheft.gov when personal information was exposed. Consider fraud alerts, credit freezes, account monitoring, and replacement credentials.
File reports with the FTC, FBI IC3, state attorney general, local law enforcement, and any specialized regulator relevant to the scam.
Verified Reporting Resources
Use official websites and independently verify addresses before entering personal information.
Report consumer fraud, imposter scams, unwanted business practices, online shopping fraud, prize scams, and related activity.
ReportFraud.ftc.gov →Report internet-enabled crime, account takeover, business email compromise, cryptocurrency fraud, ransomware, and other cybercrime.
File with FBI IC3 →Find the attorney general for your state or territory to report scams, deceptive practices, and consumer-protection concerns.
Find Your Attorney General →Contact your local police or sheriff’s office for suspected theft, threats, identity crime, or documentation needed by a financial institution. Call 911 only for immediate danger.
Find Local Government Resources →Create an identity-theft report and personalized recovery plan if identifying information or accounts were stolen or misused.
Start a Recovery Plan →Report a scam or search reports from other consumers. BBB reporting can inform the public but does not replace a law-enforcement report.
Open BBB Scam Tracker →Flag a review or report concerns involving content or a business profile through Trustpilot’s reporting and support tools. This is not a government report.
Visit Trustpilot Help Center →Report suspected securities fraud, Ponzi schemes, market manipulation, unregistered offerings, and investment-related wrongdoing.
Submit an SEC Tip or Complaint →The CIA does not engage in U.S. law enforcement and is not the proper agency for ordinary consumer scams. Use its reporting channel only for information relevant to foreign intelligence or national security. For an imminent threat inside the United States, contact local law enforcement or the FBI.
CIA Report Information Page →Contact the fraud department using the number on your card, statement, or official app. Ask whether a transfer can be stopped, recalled, disputed, or traced. Do not use a number supplied by the suspected scammer.
Review Immediate Steps →Prevention Guide
Simple verification habits can interrupt a scam before money or sensitive information changes hands.
Evidence Checklist
Keep original records whenever possible. Do not alter messages or send sensitive evidence to unverified contacts.
Mitchell Peak Enterprises LLC
Book an appointment to discuss what happened, organize the information you have, and learn about practical resources and possible next steps. We do not guarantee recovery and cannot replace law enforcement, an attorney, a financial institution, or a licensed financial professional.
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