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: How To Report Scams and Frauds in
How to Report Scams and Frauds in United States
Government agency resources: phone numbers, links to their
websites and contact email addresses
How to report scams, frauds, schemes and crimes in United States
Most scams violate federal laws and regulations, but a few are investigated
by state or local authorities. In general, if a scam uses the national
services, like the US mail postal service, that would be reported to the related
national agency, like the USPS, (see
this page for reporting federal agencies). Scams involving businesses and
scammers operating from a location within a state's borders would often be
reported to a state agency. City, county, regional, and state consumer offices offer a variety of
important services. They might mediate complaints, conduct investigations,
prosecute offenders of consumer laws, license and regulate professional
service providers, provide educational materials and advocate for consumer
rights. To save time, call before sending a written complaint. Ask if the
office handles the type of complaint you have and if complaint forms are
provided. See the United States list of state agencies below:
United States Scam Reporting Agencies and Consumer Protection Offices
State Consumer Protection Offices
Regional
Consumer Protection Offices
- Tampa Branch- Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
Concourse Center 4
3507 E. Frontage Rd.,
Suite 325
Tampa, FL 33607-1795
Phone Number: 813-287-7950
- Ft.
Lauderdale Branch- Office of the Attorney General
(Consumer protections
page)
Address: Ft. Lauderdale Branch- Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
110 S.E. 6th St., 9th Floor
Fort
Lauderdale, FL 33301-5000
Phone Number: 954-712-4600
- Jacksonville Branch-
Office of the Attorney General
(Consumer protections page)
Address:
Jacksonville Branch- Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection
Division
1300 Riverplace Blvd., Suite 405
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Phone Number: 904-348-2720
- Orlando Branch- Office of the Attorney General
(Consumer
protections page)
Address: Orlando Branch- Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
135 W. Central Blvd., Suite 1000
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone Number: 407-999-5588
- West Palm Beach Branch- Office
of the Attorney General
Address: West Palm Beach Branch- Office of the
Attorney General
Economic Crimes Division
1515 N. Flagler Dr., Suite
900
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Phone Number: 561-837-5000
- Miami
Branch- Office of the Attorney General
(Consumer protections page)
Address: Miami
Branch- Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Protection Division
444 Brickell Ave.
Rivergate Plaza, 5th Floor
Miami, FL 33131
Phone Number: 305-377-5835
County Consumer Protection Offices
- Broward County Permitting, Licensing Consumer Protection
Division
Email:
consumer@broward.org.
Address: Broward County
Permitting, Licensing Consumer Protection Division
1 N. University Dr.,
Box 302
Plantation, FL 33324
Phone Number: 954-765-4400
- Hillsborough
County Consumer Protection Agency
Address: Hillsborough County Consumer
Protection Agency
1101 E. 139th Ave.
Tampa, FL 33613
Phone Number:
813-903-3430
- Miami-Dade County Consumer Services Department
Email:
consumer@miamidade.gov.
Address: Miami-Dade County Consumer Services
Department
Consumer Protection Section
140 W. Flagler St.
Miami,
FL 33130
Phone Number: 305-375-3677
- Office of the State Attorney for Miami-Dade
County
Address: Office of the State Attorney for Miami-Dade County
Economic Crime Division
1350 N.W. 12 Ave.
Miami, FL 33136-2111
Phone Number: 305-547-0671
- Orange County Consumer Fraud Unit
Email:
fraudhelp@sao9.org.
Address: Orange County Consumer Fraud Unit
415 N. Orange Ave.
Orlando, FL 32801
Phone Number: 407-836-2490
- Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs
Division
Address: Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs Division
50 S.
Military Tr., Suite 201
West Palm Beach, FL 33415
Phone Number:
561-712-6600
Toll-free: 1-888-852-7362 (Boca/Delray/Glades)
- Pinellas County Office of
Consumer Services
Email:
consumer@pinellascounty.org.
Address:
Pinellas County Office of Consumer Services
631 Chestnut St.
Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone Number: 727-464-6200
Banking Authorities
The officials listed in this section
regulate and supervise state-chartered banks. Many of them handle or refer
problems and complaints about other types of financial institutions as well.
Some also answer general questions about banking and consumer credit. If you
are dealing with a federally chartered bank, check Federal Agencies.
- Office of Financial Regulation
Address: Office
of Financial Regulation
Division of Financial Institutions
Consumer
Assistance Group
200 E. Gaines St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0371
Phone Number: 850-487-9687
Insurance Regulators
Each state has its own laws and regulations for each
type of insurance. The officials listed in this section enforce these laws.
Many of these offices can also provide you with information to help you make
informed insurance buying decisions.
- Office of
Insurance Regulation
Address: Office of Insurance Regulation
200 E.
Gaines St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone Number: 850-413-3140
Toll-free: 1-877-693-5236 (FL)
Securities Administrators
Each state has its own laws and regulations for securities brokers and securities - including stocks, mutual funds, commodities, real estate, etc. The officials and agencies listed in this section enforce these laws and regulations. Many of these offices can also provide information to help you make informed investment decisions.
- Office of Financial Regulation
Address: Office of Financial
Regulation
Division of Securities
Consumer Assistance Group
200 E.
Gaines St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0375
Phone Number: 850-487-9687
Utility Commissions
State Utility Commissions regulate services and rates
for gas, electricity and telephones within your state. In some states, the
utility commissions regulate other services such as water, transportation,
and the moving of household goods. Many utility commissions handle consumer
complaints. Sometimes, if a number of complaints are received about the same
utility matter, they will conduct investigations.
General Precautions and Recommendations- What to do with suspicious emails:
- Only open email or IM attachments that come from a trusted source
and that are expected
- Use an anti-virus/anti-spam package (we recommend Norton 360 or
Norton Internet Security scan all attachments prior to opening.
Click here to see Norton 360 2013 on Amazon.com .
- Delete the messages without opening any attachments
- Do not click on links in emails that come from people you do not
know and trust, even if it looks like it comes from a company you know.
- Keep your anti-virus software up to date
- Keep your operating system up to date with current security patches.
Click here for an article that describes how to do this.
And please let us know about any
suspicious calls or emails you receive. We look for patterns so that we
can alert the authorities and victims to new scams, before it is too late!
For a comprehensive list
of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.