In particular, Craigslist warns you not to pay anyone you haven’t met in person, or to rent or purchase anything on Craigslist sight unseen. [2] X Research source Be wary of anyone who asks for financial information such as a bank account or credit card number, or who asks for information to run a credit check or criminal background check. [3] X Research source
The terms of use specify that Craigslist reserves the right to moderate use and access of its site. If you report the user, and Craigslist has reason to believe they are engaging in fraudulent activity, they can have their account terminated or IP address blocked. [5] X Research source
Craigslist is to a large extent community moderated. However, if enough users have flagged a free classified ad as prohibited, it is subject to automatic removal. [7] X Research source
The Craigslist contact form is available at https://www. craigslist. org/contact?step=form&reqType=abuse_scam. You must include your name and email address, as well as a description of the activity and the numerical ID for the post itself. [8] X Research source
Specifics differ from state to state, but generally the person must have lied or misrepresented an important fact to induce you into providing him with money or some other benefit. For the crime of fraud, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person knew the information he was stating was false, but lied anyway to realize an unfair gain. [9] X Research source For example, one common Craigslist scam involves fake rental listings. The criminal finds a home for sale on a real estate site and copies the information for a Craigslist ad, using his own email address. When interested would-be renters contact him about the listing, he explains that he has had to leave the U. S. quickly – often because of some sort of missionary or other work in Africa. He then instructs the person to wire a deposit of first and last months’ rent overseas. Of course, the home is not available for rent and the person who wired the money will probably never hear from the supposed “landlord” again. [10] X Research source
Since the person is trying to trick you, it’s likely they’ve given you a fake name or are using a dummy email account. However, you still should keep records of all correspondence and any information you’ve received over the course of the transaction. Keep in mind that fraud essentially is theft by deception, so proving the intent to deceive is crucial to any fraud case. If the person didn’t know the information they were giving you was false, they may not be liable for fraud. For example, suppose you respond to a Craigslist classified ad posted by someone offering to sell her 2005 Volkswagen Beetle for $8,000. In the listing, she states the vehicle has no mechanical problems. However, after purchasing the car you take it to a mechanic and discover the transmission is blown. The seller isn’t guilty of fraud unless it can be proven that she knew the car needed a new transmission and intentionally lied about it to get more money from you for the car.
In some areas, you also may be able to fill out an online form to file a police report. Contact information for all local law enforcement agencies in the United States is available at http://www. usacops. com. When you give your report to the police operator or officer, include a detailed, chronological description of all events or communication that took place between you and the perpetrator. Provide as many details as you can and make any documents you have such as copies of email correspondence available to the department.
If you are filing an insurance claim or need to report a financial loss to a bank or credit card company, having a police report number can be valuable. [11] X Research source
Retain the originals of any documents or electronic files in case investigators need to inspect them or use them as evidence. If you have emails with the perpetrator, you should keep the original files intact, if possible, since emails contain header information that can be used to trace the location of the sender.
To submit a complaint, you must include your name and contact information as well as information about the individual or business responsible for the fraud and details such as dates and locations of key events. If you’ve already filed a report with local law enforcement, you can use the same information. The FBI will need similar details including your name and contact information, as well as whatever name or contact information you have for the perpetrator, and your account of the incident and why you believe fraud occurred.
The IC3 reviews complaints and forwards them to any federal, state, or local agencies with jurisdiction over the subject matter of the complaint. Those agencies then investigate the matter further and press charges if necessary.
You also must read and accept an acknowledgement that all information you transmit is correct to the best of your knowledge. If you include any false information in your complaint, you could be criminally liable under federal law and incur fines or jail time. [12] X Trustworthy Source Internet Crime Complaint Center Online reporting system for individuals to inform the FBI about Internet-related criminal activity Go to source
The form includes several sections that ask you about yourself, the individual or business responsible for the fraud, and the monetary or other losses you incurred. [13] X Research source Make sure you read over all the information you’ve included in your complaint before you submit it to verify its accuracy and make sure anyone reading it can follow the chain of events.
Your confirmation email includes a unique complaint ID and password that you can use if you need to add information to your complaint or want to download or print a PDF copy for your records.
If your complaint is forwarded to a law enforcement agency, an officer or detective may contact you to get your story or copies of any evidence you have directly. You should retain copies of any documents you attached to your IC3 complaint.
Although the FTC does not resolve individual complaints, it will review your information and put it in a database that is available for law enforcement officials nationwide. [14] X Research source The website also has information and tips for you on getting your money back and on avoiding scams in the future. [15] X Trustworthy Source Federal Trade Commission Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson Go to source
Each category has more specific sub-categories listed to further identify the core issues of your complaint. [17] X Research source
To complete your FTC complaint, you should provide your name and contact information, as well as whatever name and contact information you have for the perpetrator. [18] X Research source Although you don’t have to provide any contact information and may remain anonymous, if you don’t include your own information the FTC or other agencies will be unable to contact you in the case of further investigation. [19] X Research source
If you want to change or add to any of the information you’ve provided, you can go back and edit each section. When you’re satisfied with your answers, you have the ability to print a summary of your complaint for your records before you submit it. [20] X Research source
The FTC reviews your complaint and uploads it to the Consumer Sentinel Network. This database houses millions of consumer complaints and is available free of charge to registered federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. [21] X Trustworthy Source Federal Trade Commission Independent U. S. government agency focused on consumer protection Go to source
