{"id":12275,"date":"2023-10-10T10:23:29","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T17:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/blog\/?p=12275"},"modified":"2023-10-10T10:23:44","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T17:23:44","slug":"how-to-report-online-scams-fbi-receives-record-level-complaints-due-to-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.socialcatfish.cloud\/scamfish\/how-to-report-online-scams-fbi-receives-record-level-complaints-due-to-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Report Online Scams: FBI Receives Record-Level Complaints Due to COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

At one point, it took nearly seven years for the FBI to receive its first million complaints from online scams. Now, it has only taken 14 months to reach another million complaints due to online scams<\/a> during the pandemic. According to the IC3<\/a>, they recorded five million complaints on March 12, 2020. As of May 15, 2021, they are now at six million complaints, receiving another million within only the span of a year and two months. This has shown just how much of an impact the coronavirus pandemic<\/a> has had on online scams within the past year and why we need to report online scams.<\/p>\n

It Used to Take Over Three Years Each Time Just to Get a Million Complaints<\/h2>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/high.jpeg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” credit=”FBI” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”center” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

According to the FBI<\/a>, they reached their first million scam complaints on June 11, 2007. Then over three years later on November 9, 2010, they reached another million complaints which made their total of crime complaints go up to two million. Then three and a half years later on May 10, 2014, there were another million complaints which made the total go up to three million complaints. Then over three years later on October 12, 2017, there were another million complaints which made the total go up to four million complaints.<\/p>\n

Then two and a half years later on March 12, 2020, the total of online scams went up to another million complaints, equaling five million complaints. Then just fourteen months<\/a> later on May 15, 2021, the total went up another million complaints to six million complaints. While it used to take over three years to get to a million complaints, it now only took fourteen months<\/a> to get to the same amount of complaints. Since the pandemic<\/a> was occurring around the same time, it’s safe to assume that it has played a part in the rise of scam complaints to the IC3.<\/a><\/p>\n

Not Everyone Chose to Report Online Scams<\/h2>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pexels-august-de-richelieu-4427629-scaled.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”center” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

IC3 Chief Donna Gregory commented, \u201cOn one hand, the number holds some positive news, people know how to find us and how to report an incident. But on the other hand, these numbers indicate more people are being affected by online crimes and scams.\u201d However, according to a poll we ran at Social Catfish<\/a>, 73% out of 693 of our scam victims did not report the scam after being scammed out of money.<\/a><\/p>\n

While it is a good thing that there were some people who did report the scam<\/a> they were a part of, there was a good portion of people who didn’t. Many people don’t report out of embarrassment, shame, or feeling like reporting it won’t help their situation. However, reporting the crime helps the FBI<\/a> and FTC<\/a> educate their audience on the severity of online scams and just how common it is to fall for one. The IC3 releases a report each year and the more people report their scams, the more accurate the data is that the IC3<\/a> presents.<\/p>\n

By not reporting, it’s hard for the FBI and FTC to determine the exact amount of people being affected by scams<\/a> on a daily basis. It just goes to show that even though most people don’t report a scam, the FBI is still receiving a record number of complaints which means scams are on the rise.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Top Online Scams People Are Falling For According to the FBI<\/h2>\n\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pexels-anna-tarazevich-5697256-scaled.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”center” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Here are the scams<\/a> that most people reported in 2020:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Phishing Scams<\/h3>\n

Scammers send out phishing links<\/a> to their victims via email<\/a>, texting<\/a>, or instant messaging apps.<\/a> They create excuses with a sense of urgency as to why victims need to click these links, and the victims fall for the excuses thinking that they are legit.<\/p>\n

Once they click on the links, they are prompted to fill out their personal and financial information for an urgent reason that the scammer<\/a> creates, and the victims fall for it not realizing the harm this would place on them. After this information is filled out, scammers commit identity theft<\/a> and drain their bank accounts<\/a> without victims realizing it until it’s too late.<\/p>\n

Non-Payment\/ Non-Delivery Scams<\/h3>\n

Scammers send phishing emails<\/a> to victims claiming that the payment information they entered for a product they purchased isn’t correct. They then ask their victims<\/a> to re-enter the payment information using the link in the email. Victims want the item they purchased, so they click the link and re-enter their information. Scammers use the information they entered to steal their money<\/a> and information.<\/p>\n

Scammers create fake websites<\/a> that look like online stores and sell items for deals that are too good to be true. Victims can’t resist these deals so they go onto these fake websites and purchase products that are for sale. They enter their personal and financial information<\/a> in order to purchase the product advertised on the website. Once they enter this information, scammers steal it and use it to drain their bank accounts<\/a> and commit identity theft.<\/a><\/p>\n

Extortion Scams<\/h3>\n

Scammers use blackmail in order to trick their victims out of the money<\/a> they worked so hard to earn. One of the most popular versions of this scam is the sextortion scam<\/a> where scammers send emails out to their victims claiming that they know their Internet history. They claim that they have seen their victims watch porn<\/a> and will send their Internet history and secret videos of them watching porn to their loved ones if the victim doesn’t send money.<\/p>\n

The victims fear their videos and history surfacing the Internet<\/a>, so they send the money to the scammers out of fear. However, the scammer was lying the whole time<\/a> and doesn’t actually have your videos or history. They just wanted to get their hands on your money.<\/p>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-6266298-scaled.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”center” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n

Here are the scams that people lost<\/a> the most money to in 2020:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

BEC Scams<\/h3>\n

Scammers create fake email addresses that make them look like they are a boss or a coworker of a company<\/a>. They then email their victims stating that they owe money for an order that was placed by the company they work for.<\/p>\n

Thinking that the email is legit, they follow the directions on the email on how to send them money. They either wire transfer money or send gift cards to the scammer<\/a> thinking that they are a large corporation. However, they find out after it’s too late that they aren’t who they say they are.<\/p>\n

Romance Scams<\/h3>\n

Scammers create fake profiles<\/a> on dating apps<\/a> and social media networks<\/a> then message random people on these platforms. Scammers make their victims feel special<\/a> and claim that they are the most beautiful person that they’ve laid their eyes on so that victims will message them back.<\/p>\n

Victims feel flattered by these messages<\/a> and feel like they want to get to know the scammer better. They develop an online connection with them and fall in love with them.<\/a> Once the victim’s trust is gained, the scammer starts asking them for money, claiming it’s for an emergency situation. They continue to guilt-trip their victims for money until the victim’s bank account<\/a> runs dry.<\/p>\n

Investment Fraud<\/h3>\n

Scammers create money-making opportunities on social media<\/a> that look like they are too good to resist. They convince their victims to sign up, claiming that they only need to pay a small fee in order to receive a large sum of money<\/a>. Victims give scammers their personal and financial information in order to sign up for the investment opportunity.<\/a><\/p>\n

However, as soon as they provide scammers with this information, they steal their money and identities<\/a>. They block their victims without giving them the promised<\/a> sum of money.<\/p>\n

How to Avoid These Scams<\/h2>\n[aesop_image img=”https:\/\/socialcatfish.com\/scamfish\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pexels-olia-danilevich-4974907-scaled.jpg” panorama=”off” imgwidth=”100%” align=”center” lightbox=”off” captionsrc=”custom” captionposition=”center” revealfx=”off” overlay_revealfx=”off”]\n