Baited and Hooked: Advice for Email Fraud Victims




By:  Dorothy Riggs, CFE


What do I do now?
After realizing they’ve been hooked, email fraud victims often wonder, what do I do now? Here are some practical suggestions:

  • For future reference, if you receive an email from an individual or company you’re not familiar with and especially if money or personal information is requested….DO NOT RESPOND. DO NOT CLICK LINKS WITHIN THE EMAIL.  Delete the email from your inbox and trash. Common email scams include: CEO impersonator, Chain mail, Lottery/Sweepstakes and Nigerian Prince Inheritance.  
  • If you provided personal information such as:  address, social security number, date of birth, financial account data and the like; you may be an identity theft victim.  File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.  You should also request a copy of your credit report and review it for unauthorized accounts.  If fraudulent accounts are listed you should contact at least one of the major credit reporting agencies:  Equifax, Experian or Transunion.
  • If you sent money to a fraudster via check, wire or some other funds transfer method; you should contact FBI's IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center) to file a complaint.  You may also report the incident to your local U.S. Secret Service office. Report the incident to your local U.S. Postal Inspector if the mail system was used to facilitate the scam.
  • If you mailed a check that hasn't cleared your account yet, contact your financial institution and place stop payment on the check. Close the compromised account, if warranted.
  • If you provided funds to a fraudster via domestic or international wire, contact your financial institution or wire agent as soon as possible to submit a request to recall the wire. It may also be helpful to contact the beneficiary bank and explain that one of their accounts received funds via fraudulent methods. They may be able to freeze funds or start an investigation.

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