Where to report fraudulent emails
If you've received a fraudulent email, there are several ways to report it:
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Federal Trade Commission (FTC): The FTC is a great place to start. You can report the email to the FTC's Complaint Assistant, which is a secure online form. You can also file a complaint by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or by mailing a letter to: Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20580
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Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG): The APWG is a global coalition of law enforcement agencies, ISPs, and other organizations that work together to combat phishing and other online fraud. You can report the email to the APWG's Phishing Incident Reporting Form.
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Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): The IC3 is a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center. You can report the email to the IC3's online complaint form.
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Your email provider: If you use a web-based email service like Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook, you can report the email to your email provider's abuse department. They may be able to block the sender or take other action to prevent similar emails from reaching your inbox.
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Spam reporting tools: Many email providers and web browsers have built-in spam reporting tools. For example, Gmail has a "Report spam" button, while Microsoft Outlook has a "Junk" button. You can use these tools to report the email and help your email provider's algorithms learn to recognize similar emails as spam.
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Your local authorities: If you believe the email is a scam or fraud, you can also report it to your local authorities, such as the police or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Remember to never respond to or engage with fraudulent emails, as this can put you at risk of falling victim to a scam.