Internet scams: Report a Scam
You can report a scam to any or all of the following agencies.
USA.gov Internet Fraud – all types of Internet related scams
Attorney General – does not accept electronic complaints – link to mailing address
FTC Complaint Board – Business related
Consumer Fraud Reporting – all types of scams for many countries.
Consumer Fraud Reporting – this is for email scam reporting ONLY
Rip off Report – this site is user generated and is for warning other web users only. While this site is a good resource, please do not reply on information listed on Rip off Report solely.
Why isn’t the BBB listed here? You’ll be surprised at the answer.
What is the BBB? Most assume the BBB is a government-run organization, funded by tax dollars. And, that the BBB is neutral observer of business standards and practices where one could get information on a legitimate business or where one could lodge a formal complaint against a shady one. Sound about right?
Well, it’s mostly LIES.
The BBB is a non-profit 501(c) (3). A online business pays hundreds of dollars for a graphic to put on their site, first question should be, where does all that money go…?
Businesses are the BBB’s source of income (even though they don’t report income…). But businesses are their object of complaint. So, if I as a consumer complain to the BBB, I’m complaining about one of their sources of income. Obviously, this is a problem.
The BBB has no authority over businesses and no significant legal influence with state or county authorities. Yet arguably, they market themselves as having that kind of authority.
Would I go as far to call the BBB a scam? No, but I would say remarkably misleading…
Final thought: If you have a complaint against the Better Business Bureau, you can’t file it with the Better Business Bureau because the Better Business Bureau is not a member of its own organization.
