Tools & Resources
The following resources assist in reporting scams and offer education on financial, emotional, and psychological support, as well as tools to verify potential victimization. Always consult a licensed professional for further clinical or financial help.
Report Your Online Scam
Were you scammed online?
Below you will find the information and links where to go to report your scam.
*If you are in danger, please contact local law enforcement.
*If you need immediate psychiatric assistance, please call your local emergency number.
Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3)
The Internet Crimes Complaint Center (IC3) is a division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), where one can report any online crime. Information is taken and used for current or possible future cases as well as to gather cybercrime statistics.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The FTC is another site that gathers information regarding online crimes. It works closely with law enforcement to protect consumers.
Better Business Bureau
The BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust’s new toolkit, available in English, Spanish, and French, helps scam victims understand their experience and create a recovery plan. Users can save the plan as a PDF to revisit or share later.
Chainabuse Crypto Reporting & Awareness
Chainabuse is the leading global reporting platform for malicious crypto activity worldwide. Working with law enforcement, victims and other companies, Chainabuse strives to improve fund recovery, and cryptocrime awareness.
Support for You
AARP Fraud Watch Support Group
“The program is designed to address the emotional impact of your experience. We offer free, facilitated peer discussion groups that seek to provide emotional support for you and others in similar situations.” – AARP
Peer Support Program –Cybercrime Support Network (CSN)
CSN offers a 10-week virtual program built to help meet the survivor‘s needs post romance scams. Click the link to see more about their work.
Scam Survivor Healing
Ms. Cathy Wilson, LPC, ACS, is a licensed professional counselor and author of The Emotional Impact of Being Scammed and How to Recover. Ms. Wilson provides a website with resources, online video courses and an online support group for scam survivors.
AARS-Made Tools For You
These tools are free, up to date, and yours for the taking! They are used at conferences, by law enforcement, and fellow advocates! Help yourself and others!
The Romance AntiScam Guide 2024
A guide you can download and keep as a tool for yourself or share with loved ones. All underlined are links to more information!
Your Guide After a Scam
A guide you can download and keep as a tool for yourself or share with loved ones. All underlined are links to more information!
A Loved One's Guide on Romance Scams
A guide you can download and keep as a tool for yourself or share with loved ones. All underlined are links to more information!
Online Dating Scammer Alerts for Beginners
A guide you can download and keep as a tool for yourself or share with loved ones. All underlined are links to more information!
A Quick Checker to See if it's a Possible Romance Scam
2 or more of these red flags are indication of a potential romance scam.
A Quick Checker to See if it's a Possible Crypto Romance Fraud
2 or more of these red flags are indication of a possible crypto romanc fraud, also known as Pig Butchering Scam.
A Quick Checker to See if it's a Possible Sextortion Scam
2 or more of these red flags are indication of a potential sextortion scam.
Books for You
Keanu Reeves is Not in Love With You, by Becky Homes
The Psychology of Fraud, Persuasion, and Scam Techniques, by Martina Dove
The Emotional Impact of Being Scammed and How to Recover, by Cathy Wilson
Documentaries for You
“Meet the Scammers”
-Four Corners
“The Invisible Man”
-W5
“Facebook Love Scams: Who’s Really Behind that Friend Request”
To watch the video, you must have a New York Times subscription.
Podcasts for You
Scammer Stories
– April Helm
What the Hack with Adam Levin
The Perfect Scam
– AARP
Additional Resources
How You Can Help
Have you talked to your representative?
View your representative’s contact information.
Anti Fraud Hotline
Powered by the AMAC Foundation
Supporting and Educating American Seniors.
Victim Connect Resource Center
Where victims of crimes can learn about their rights with understanding and care.
National Center for Victims of Crime
Fortress Forensic Investigation
“Providing justice for at-risk victims of financial exploitation through experienced evidence analysis and forensic investigations.” FFI
Baker Fraud Report
Addresses consumer fraud around the world focusing on marketing fraud – over the phone, though the mail, or on the internet.
National Elder Fraud Hotline
Office Of Victims of Crime Online’s National Elder Fraud Hotline
Every day 6:00 am-11:00 pm EST
Justice In Aging
National non-profit legal advocacy organization that fights senior poverty through law.
Secure the Village
Secure the Village educates, supports, and advocates for cybersecurity and data privacy.
Institute on Aging
415-750-4111 (Support)
Retire Guide
UK's Cyber Helpline
Advice and instructions on how to recover from the cyber security attack you have experienced.
Staying Safe from Romance Fraud Free Booklet
Staying Safe from Romance Fraud Free Booklet
Free Informational Booklet!
This extraordinary educational booklet created by the U.K.’s Thames Valley Police, was given to AARS to make U.S compatible and yours to download for free! An excellent resource for those victimized by a romance scams and who work in the realm of romance scams!
Research and Reports on Platform Safety
The reports were conducted on behalf of every scam and identity theft victim on Social Media platforms. The goal was to make the big tech companies more aware of the wrongful activity on their site in hopes of coming together to help make their platforms safer. Every Facebook report was sent via postal mail with a return signed receipt to the CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg. The reports were also sent via postal mail to every Facebook Board of Directors during the time the reports were written. The team that we “work with” at Facebook was also sent a copy via email. Verbal acknowledgment from the CEO, COO, and Board of Directors of Facebook were never obtained.
The following top topics were addressed:
- Reporting of Fake Accounts on Facebook
- Reporting of Fake Accounts on Instagram
- Anti-Scam Groups
- Criminal Based Accounts (Yahoo Boys, Gee Guys, etc.)
- Building of Fake Accounts
- Ramifications of Cropping photos and Facial Recognition
- Facebook Community Standards
Initial Report
Your Power, Our People, the World’s Defense In More Ways Than One
August, 2017
Quarterly 1 Report
Your Power, Our People, the Worlds’ Defense In More Ways Than One
February, 2018
Quarterly 2 Report
Your Power, Our People, the Worlds’ Defense In More Ways Than One
May, 2018
Quarterly 3 Report
Your Power, Our People, the Worlds’ Defense In More Ways Than One
August 1, 2018
Annual Report
Your Power, Our People, the Worlds’ Defense In More Ways Than One
December, 2018
A Look at Reporting
Your Power, Our People, the Worlds’ Defense In More Ways Than One
September, 2019
Instagram Too? Initial Report
Tens of Thousands of Perpetrators Exposed on Facebook, and They are on Instagram Too?
February 2, 2021
Community Substandards
How Scammers utilize social media platforms as their “free office space.” Facebook and YouTube’s Community Standards: When are they obeyed by their own enforcers?
Additional Tools
AARS recommends using more than one tool to help determine you are in fact, speaking with a scammer.
Scam Survival Toolkit
Offered in 3 different languages (English, Spanish, and French), this new toolkit from BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust is a fantastic new aid in helping victims, in a supportive, encouraging manner, to understand the scam they experienced with a plan of recovery to help a victim’s healing process. Users also have the ability to save their recovery plan as a PDF so they can go back and view it later or share it with others if they wish to do so.
Verifying a Scammers Message
Scam Ranger allows you to report a scam message and plug a message you think may have been sent by a scammer. From there, Scam Ranger’s AI verifies if the message is considered a low, medium or high risk for scamming.
ITRC Live-Chat
AARS’s partner, Identity Theft Resource Center, assists identity theft victims (in English or Spanish) live during business hours or through direct follow-up when contacted after hours and on weekends.
Catch
Catch provides scam detection technology for your whole family. We believe in stopping scams at the point of contact.
The best way to prevent scams is by combining education with technology. That’s why Catch also provides scam education and training for the community.