Today I learned that the FBI has a website called the Internet Crime Complaint Center — IC3.gov. While the site can’t help you recover lost money, you can report scams there. This helps the government track scams that are happening across the U.S.
A number of years ago, one of my bookkeeping clients fell victim to a scam. He was a sharp businessman, but at the time, he was going through intense radiation treatments for stage 4 cancer. During that vulnerable period, he received an email — followed by a phone call — claiming to be from the IRS. They told him he had a “problem” that he could fix by either giving them access to his bank account or providing a credit card number over the phone.
He had the good sense to say no to both options. But then they offered a third “solution”: buy one or more pre-paid VISA cards and give them the numbers. The catch? He had to do it within the hour. Under pressure, he went out, bought cards totaling $4,000, and gave them the information. When he tried to call them back later, the number was already disconnected. And only after the fact did he look closer at the email and realize it wasn’t from the IRS at all.
The FBI considers this type of scam a government impersonation crime.
The IC3.gov site includes resources and information, including annual reports that break down cybercrime by state and by type. Here’s the link to the 2024 report for California:
California Cybercrime Report – IC3.gov
Once there, you can select other states if you’re curious.
Joe and I both get scam texts and emails almost daily. Joe never opens them — he just forwards them to me! As we age, I think the Resources for Older Adults link on IC3.gov will come in handy for both of us.
Staying aware is half the battle — and sharing what we learn helps others stay a step ahead, too.
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