Recovery Scams and How to Protect Yourself

There are recovery scams that many consumers are unaware of. You may be one of the consumers that are unaware that you have been scammed by entering a prize promotion giveaway, giving money to a charity drive that doesn’t exist, a fraudulent business opportunity investment, or other well-known scams.

If you have paid money to a scam unknowingly, then there is a large chance that your name is on a list that is being passed around to fraudsters. The list will have your name, address, phone number, and other relevant information about you, but one of the most important facts on the list is how much money you have spent on fraudulent scams. These fake promoters purchase and sell these lists as the theory that they have is if you have been a victim, then you will be one again in the future.

There are many different recovery scams and you can learn how to protect yourself with the tips provided below. Here are some tips to prevent recovery scams and protect yourself:

✓ Never believe someone who says they are a government agency representative and they are investigating a recovery for you, but they need paid in advance, and this payment may come as a wire transfer. This is always a recovery scam to look out for.

✓ Never believe someone who contacts you and offers to recover money, prizes, and big merchandise that you never received. They will ask for a payment upfront. Anybody claiming to be a government agency representative in the USA and are in the process of recovering prizes, money, and charity donations. They are scammers and should be reported to the authorities quickly.

✓ A company that you are considering hiring to recover money or merchandise should be investigated thoroughly with consumer agencies or your local law enforcement. Ask the company what their specific services are and what the fees are for these services. You can also look them up on the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any complaints.

✓ Remember, anyone that is requesting your banking account numbers or credit card information is a scam. They promise to recover money, prizes, and merchandise, but all they want is your money.

These scammers are experts in their scamming field. They have been scamming people for many, many years, and they know all the tricks to pull and the right words to say to scam you. Have you been a victim of a recovery scam? If you have, then there are things that you can do:

• Although, there is very little that the police department in your city can do for you than allowing you to write an official record, but you should still contact your local police department.
• All recovery frauds and scams should be immediately reported to the state attorney’s office and if you are in Canada you can contact the Office of Consumer Affairs and or the RCMP.
• The scam should be reported to the FBI – IC3 (These organizations partner together with the National White Collar Crime Center and the FBI).
• The United States Marshals should be contacted.
• All international scams should report to the Interpol and the United States Central Bureau.
• One way to get some satisfaction with your recovery scam is by sharing your story on the scam and fraud forums. Spread the word about the recovery scam company.

The scam should always be reported to the authorities. Sadly, reporting the scam to the authorities will not get your money back, but in time all the information gathered may bring justice as the culprits will get arrested and their recovery scam company will be shut down. Don’t let the recovery scams get the best of you. You can protect yourself!