According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 3 million adults were victims of financial fraud in 2017. Below are resources for preventing and reporting financial crime, and resources for dealing with the trauma of experiencing financial crime.
Reporting Financial Crime
Report fraud and cybercrime:
SCARS AnyScam Reporting Portal
Report internet crime:
Internet Crime Complaint Center
Report cryptocurrency fraud:
Report Cryptocurrency Fraud to Minnesota Department of Commerce
Report gift card scams:
Preventing Financial Crime
General scam prevention guidance (scam reports database, risk calculator, quizzes, videos, and more):
Scam survival toolkit:
Cyber survival guide:
National Cybersecurity Alliance
Check background of financial advisors and firms:
BrokerCheck – Find a broker, investment or financial advisor
Preventing investment fraud:
Financial exploitation prevention training curriculum for bank employees:
Trauma Support for Victims of Financial Crime
AdvocatingForU – Tools and Resources
SCARS – Trauma and Grief Support
AAPR – Fraud Victim Support Group (confidential group sessions led by trained facilitators)
Financial Fraud – Give an Hour (peer support/counseling programs)
Fight Cyber Crime – Initiatives (includes military- and veteran-specific option)
Catfishing
Catfishing: “the practice of pretending on social media to be someone different, in order to trick or attract another person” (Cambridge Dictionary)
- Step-by-step guide on how to respond to catfishing: https://socialcatfish.com/blog/what-to-do-if-youre-being-catfished-a-step-by-step-guide/
- How to reverse image search to help verify identity: https://socialcatfish.com/reverse-image-search/?campaign=googleads&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhKvYl6fl8AIVLDetBh2YfAchEAEYASAAEgLtY_D_BwE
Sextortion
Financial sextortion: “when predators pose as someone else online to coerce victims into taking and sending sexually explicit photos and videos—and then immediately demand payment or threaten to release the photo to the victim’s family and friends” (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
- Take It Down service for juvenile victims of sextortion: https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/
- Thorn for Parents: Sextortion Prevention and Response guide: https://parents.thorn.org/guides/sextortion/
- Cyber Civil Rights Initiative Step-by-Step Guide and Safety Center for adults experiencing sextortion: Get Help Now – Cyber Civil Rights Initiative
En Español
Reporte el robo de identidad y obtenga un plan de acción:
For Victim Service Professionals
OVC TTAC online trainings for victim service professionals: