FILE A COMPLAINT

Listcrime is a one-stop-shop for reliable, up-to-date information about cyber crime, we at Listcrime.com want to give home users and small businesses the advice they need to use the Internet safely. For the most part, references within this web page appear as links to the actual site that the information came from. I revert to customary referencing when citing non-WWW based sources. A bibliography of any sources not linked will appears at the end of this web page.

If you are a victim of Cybercrime, knowing who and how to report it is essential.  What will local and federal law enforcement agencies do with your information.  Which agency do you file a report with?  Your complaint is an essential resource for local, state, and federal law enforcement officials. Law enforcement officers review consumer complaints to spot trends and build cases against hackers, identity thieves, and scam artists.

If you are a victim you should try to immediately report the crime to your local police department. If the police are reluctant to take your report, ask to file a "Miscellaneous Incident" report, or try another jurisdiction, like your state police. Most local police departments are getting better at taking your information but most don't have the enough trained officers to work these types of cases.

You can check with your state Attorney General's office www.naag.org to find out if state law requires the police to take reports for identity theft and cyber crime.

WHATS NEEDED IN A POLICE REPORT

1. Date of birth, driver's license number, social security number, telephone numbers (work, home, and cellular), and e-mail addresses of every victim in the household
   Account numbers involved in the theft and the names of primary and secondary account holders
   
2. When and how the fraud or theft was discovered, and under what circumstances the victim became aware of the identity theft
   
3. Exact locations (addresses, businesses, persons involved) where fraudulent use of the identity occurred
   
4. Name, addresses (home and work), phone numbers, date of birth of every person involved in the incident
   
5. Names of financial institutions the victim has notified of the theft, along with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of customer service representatives or investigators who accepted the report, the dates and times of the reports, a brief summary of the conversation, and copies of any e-mail messages or faxes sent to or received from the financial institutions
   
6. Photocopies of any letters, account statements, and other documents associated with the case
   
7. A chronological log of the theft and the victim's actions since discovering the theft, to include information about the discovery of theft or fraud, possible locations of the theft, and names or descriptions of persons around when the theft might have occurred

Provide the police with as much documentation as possible. Make sure all compromised accounts are listed on the police report. Also, get a copy of the police report. Credit card companies, banks and credit reporting agencies may require you to show a police report to support your claim that a crime was committed.

* IMPORTANT DETAILS TO REMEMBERS

A. Take names
Write down the name, title and contact information of everyone you talk to, what he or she tells you, and when the conversation occurred.

B. Follow up
Contact everyone you've spoken with in writing. Use certified mail, return receipt requested as documentation.

C. Keep documentation
In the process of resolving the theft of your identity, be sure to keep records of all correspondence with the creditors and government agencies you contact. Include the date and name of contact. Follow up all telephone contacts with a letter and keep a copy. Make copies of all correspondence or forms you send, and keep the originals of supporting documents, like police reports and letters to and from creditors—send copies only. In some cases, you may need these documents to prove that you're a victim of identity theft.

D. Maintain good records
Set up a filing system for easy access to your paperwork and keep old files even if you believe your case is closed.

According to the Consumer Action Website, When filing a complaint, keep these things in mind:

• Remain calm. The person who can help didn't cause the problem.
• Don't use an angry, threatening or sarcastic tone.
• State exactly what you want done about the problem.
• Document each step, and keep copies.
• Start with the seller first. You can resolve many problems by calling a company's toll free number. Even on the phone, you should know the details of the complaint. You can use the sample letter below to jot down a few notes before you call. If necessary, ask to speak to a manager.
• If that doesn't work, send a letter or e-mail to the manufacturer's national headquarters or consumer affairs office. Some experts suggest that a letter is the most effective method for contacting a company. If e-mails and phone calls don't work, try the old fashioned way.
• If the problem still isn't resolved, try your local consumer protection agency, Better Business Bureau or other helpful organization.
• If all else fails, consider filing a small claims suit or hiring an attorney.

Click Here: To Contact your local Police Department

Generally, investigations begin once an incident is reported to law enforcement. During the preliminary investigation, federal, state, or local law enforcement, along with their respective prosecutors, determine if a crime occurred and if a further investigation is warranted. Also, in some cases, private sector and academic analysts may provide expertise.  That is why you must give them as much information as possible. 

That is why we have LISTCRIME.COM.  LISTCRIME.COM WILL HELP YOU TO INVESTIGATE AND GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE,  THIS WILL HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATE YOUR COMPLAINT.

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AFFIDAVIT

FTC ID theft affidavit 

In the United States, cyber crime fraud should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and to local and Federal and State authorities. The Federal Trade Commission is not a Federal Investigating agency. The FTC is more of a clearinghouse of information attempting to help coordinated Federal and State law enforcements response to combating cyber crime. The FTC utilizes a program called the Consumer Sentinel.

The Comsumer Sentinel is a one-stop, secure investigative cybertool and complaint database, on a separate restricted-access secure web site, that provides hundreds of law enforcement agencies immediate access to Internet fraud scams and consumer fraud-related complaints. It gives consumers a way to voice their complaints about fraud to law enforcement officials worldwide.

Federal State and some International Law enforcement agencies can access Consumer Sentinel through an encrypted Web site to determine whether a reported scheme is local, regional, national, or cross-border, and to help spot trends for law enforcement. The Web based secured program (For Law Enforcement Only) provides law enforcement a variety of tools to facilitate investigations.

Law enforcement (BOTH STATE & FEDERAL) may or may not further investigate the complaint, depending on the amount, type of fraud, and where the fraud originated from.

The primary federal law enforcement agencies that investigate domestic crime on the Internet include:
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
United States Secret Service(USSS)
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
United States Postal Inspection Service(USPS)
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)

Click Here: To Contact your local Police Department.

 

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