The "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers

The fake "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" email below is an advance-fee scam being sent by online criminals. This scam is a form of fraud and one of the most common types of confidence trick. The scam typically involves promising the victim a significant share of a large sum of money, in return for a small up-front payment, which the fraudster requires in order to obtain the large sum.

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers

The "Mr. Lambert Costa Fund Transfer" Scam

From: Mr Williams Samson <diplomaagent1@gmail.com>

Sent: Monday, March 4, 2019 3:49 AM

Subject: The new secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland security

I’m Hon. Mr Williams Samson, The new secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland security appointed by President Donald Trump. Office Address: 3801 Nebraska Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, United States, Thanks for your quick responds however I wrote you an email over an abandoned shipment left by a diplomat from Africa who was supposed to delivered to packages to you but failed to provide all necessary clearances needed by the US Customs, the chief officer in charge stopped him from complete the delivery to your address.

From the scanned recently, it revealed a US$25,500,000.00 (Twenty Five Million five hundred thousand United State Dollar) of money in Metal Trunk Box weighing approximately 480 pounds, I wrote to know if you are still have interest to get this package or should it go to the Govt Treasury Department as unclaimed property. If you still have the interest to get this Package delivery to you before it go to the Govt Treasury Department as unclaimed property you must therefore get ready to obtain the necessary clearances from the origin of the Country were this Package came from and with that I personal will help you SECURED out this Package from the abandoned Department were it is now and deliver it to your address.

But the Most important thing is to obtain the necessary clearances needed by the US Customs to proof that this Box is legal belong to you as the Custom law demanded. From what i saw on the custom paper list the Diplomatic agent Africa were Charge to pay a bill of $254 to get necessary clearances as custom law and rule demanded before they will issue him the delivery order certificate or he provided this to them from the origin of the Box, In this Case Now I will advise you to choose the option of providing the necessary clearances from the COUNTRY origin of the BOX which will not cost you more than $150 to get the necessary clearances Obtain from the custom department in Africa through the help of Mrs. Lucy Tamlyn who is representing the Citizen of AMERICA in Benin Republic under the diplomatic Mission as US AMBASSADOR to the Country Benin Republic just like he did in the case of Mr. Gary Debekky Few Months Ago.

Therefore, if i must help you to get this Package out from the abandoned office were it is now you have to provide the necessary clearances to the MY Department is either obtain it from {AFRICA} with the cost of $150 or pay the bill of $254 here to issue the delivery order document on this Box. Remember; If you choose to pay the $150 it will come from Benin Republic CUSTOM office through the help of Mrs. Lucy Tamlyn who stand as US AMBASSADOR to the Country Benin Republic there in {Africa} were this Box came from. Now it left for you to let me know were you want to get this necessary clearances from, if to be obtain from Africa you must then send the $150 across to Mrs. Lucy Tamlyn personal Cashier Name through Money Gram just like Mr. Gary Debekky did when he had same problem as you are now.

Here is the receiver information of Mrs. Lucy Tamlyn personal Cashier Name.

Receiver name ...PETE NONSO

Country... Benin Republic

City ...Cotonou

Question.. When

Answer.. Now

Amount $150

I will be waiting for your responds once you get this Email (officeinfo1996@gmail.com) and be advise to offset the payment to enable me bring out this Box from the abandoned office and be rest assure that once you get this payment send to Name Mrs. Lucy Tamlyn personal Cashier he will obtain the necessary clearances and forward it to me, if you choose to pay it here to our cashier Name Marjorie Jenkins it will get to us and the delivery order will be issue immediately for me to complete the delivery of this Box to your address.

Regard.

Hon. Mr Williams Samson,

The new secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland security

Appointed by President Donald Trump. Office Address: 3801

Nebraska Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, United States

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 6)

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February 18, 2020 at 8:08 AM by
The "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers
info

"From: Mrs.Kirstjen Michele Nielsen <xxzzwd435r@yahoo.com>

Sent: 17 February 2020 21:31

Subject: FROM HOMELAND SECURITY USA

U.S Department of Homeland Security

Address: 3870 N Terminal Rd, Houston, TX 77032. USA

Attn: Fund Beneficiary,

We are contacting you in respect of the reports we had been receiving since two years ago which including you and same other beneficiaries however after our conference last Monday we have treated this issue and I am here to assure the safety release of your outstanding consignment box of ATM VISA CARD worth $20.5 Million USD.United States Dollars)

Although after our meeting held this morning with the FBI Director we have concludes to release your consignment box of ATM VISA CARD as this discussion was made and agreed by the Board of Directors therefore I here to assure you that this project will be handle accordingly as discussed and agreed with the lawmakers.

Hence through our investigation we noticed that you have spent a lot of money trying to get this fund release to you from the customs but nothing has come across due to the people in position to handle your issues therefore I want you to understand that this office is now control over this issue.

Hence with the power invested in us we are here to assure you that we will complete this project accordingly without compliance we promised to recall your happiness therefore we also use this opportunity to advise you to stop further communication with whom ever that claiming to have your funds because your file is right here with us.

Finally we have contacted the funds origin authority USA and you are required to secure the Funds Clearance Certificate and Non-Inspection Clearance which the two documents will cost you $250 USD. We understand that the $250 USD fee might be too much for you to pay now, So we further make things easier for you by discussed with the Federal Ministry of Finance on your behalf for them to give you the grace of sending only US$100 USD for now, after the Diplomatic Agent deliver your consignment of ATM CARD, then you will pay the remaining balance of $150 USD.But if you are ready to pay the $250 at once that is very good,

And hence this transaction is concern we advise you should send the $100 USD direct to our office here so that we will official handle this issue.

Buy Steam Wallet Gift Card or iTunes card or Sephora card scratch back of the card and send the photo to this email,just for your own favor,

Please be advise to re-confirm the listed below details,And if you need bank to bak wire transfer please try to re-confirm your banking details to avoid wrong transfer,

First Name :

Last Name :

your country

State Of Origin:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

Occupation:

S*x: Male

Bank Name:

Bank Address:

your ID CARD;

We awaiting your immediate actions to this information and pls for security reasons send us through this email,

Yours Truly

Mrs. Kirstjen Michele Nielsen

U.S Secretary of Homeland Security

Email(homeland_security@yeah.net"

Here is another scam.

Delete

December 6, 2019 at 10:59 AM by
The "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers
info

"From: Kevin McAleenan <hm_m@aol.com>

Sent: 06 December 2019 09:35

Subject: My name is Kevin Kealoha McAleenan

Good day Brenda Callagher,

My name is Kevin Kealoha McAleenan, The United States Secretary General of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection commissioner.

Have you received any call from the delivering agent in-charge of your ATM Cards package from the United Nations Debt Management office (UNDMO)

Note: The backup paper work of your package/consignment has certified to the U.S Customs and Homeland Security that the source in which the funds is coming from is 100% legitimate for that reason your package has been released from on hold.

Please, to permit we monitor the delivering of your package to avoid wrong delivering, you are advice to respond to this message now and e-mail the UN delivering officer from London to know where he is.

Name: Mr. Gabriele MacDonald.

Phone Number: (718) 675-5078

E-Mail: dle542100732@gmail.com

For your information, our arrangement with the delivering agent is that you will pay the delivering cost or charge once you have received your funds, so from now on you are warn to cut off your telephone and email conversation with any Courier company or security agencies to avoid wrong information.

Thanks for your co-operation

Kevin McAleenan

United States Secretary General of Homeland Security and Customs and Border

Protection

1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20229

www.dhs.gov"

Here is another scam.

Delete

October 22, 2019 at 11:35 AM by
The "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers
info

Here is another scam:

"From: Mr Eric matt <adhu99994@yahoo.com>

Sent: 22 October 2019 16:06

Subject: ATTANTION BENEFICIARY

Hello My name is Mr Eric matt the Assistant sectary of Home Land security. During my routine checks on our warehouse yesterday, we discovered a cargo box. While scanning the box our cash track machine detected that the content of the Box the Diplomat is delivering to you is cash worth 8.5 Million USA, and we decided to break the box, and we found out that, The Diplomat who arrived with the box made several attempts to reach you all efforts Proved abortive so he decided to leave the box and travel back to his country, so if you are serious to receive your box, get back to me today.

Remember to reconfirm your full details to avoid any wrong payment

Full Name_

S*x _

Occupation_

Home Address_

Cell phone number:_

City_

Country_

Contact Assistant sectary of Home Land security Email < mrericmatt65@gmail.com >

Mr Eric matt

the Assistant sectary

PHONE NUMER 13097773175"

Delete

June 13, 2019 at 11:23 AM by
The "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers
info

"From: "uscis-office@presidency.com" <uscis-office@presidency.com>

Sent: Wed, 12 Jun 2019 at 3:52 am

Subject: USCIS

Department of Homeland Security,

U.S Citizenship and

Immigration Services(USCIS),

Application Support Center(A‪SC),‬

‪2675 Prosperity Avenue‬, Fairfax,

VA 22031, United States.

*Phone: ‪‪ 1 (315) 690-4304‬‬

*Hearing/Speech Disabilities: TTY ‪‪(800) 767-1833‬‬

ATTN:

This is in reference to inquiries from you and your Employer regarding the issuance of Employment Authorization Document or Residence Permit, Work Permit, Visa, Foreign Affairs Certificate and National Insurance to enable you live and work legally here. We would like to bring to your notice that we are in receipt of the Hard Copies of your Agreement Contract as forwarded to us by your Employer, the Michelangelo New York Hotel.

As our being in contact with your Employer, we just received a notification from our Account Officers now that your Employer contacted them not quite long, that they will be responsible for the payment for your Visa, Foreign Affairs and Flight Ticket, while you are to bear the charges of your Residence Work Permit. In accordance with the Law of the United States, it is the duty of any Foreign Contractor/Agent/Employee to pay responsibly for the procurement and acquisition of Residence Work Permit.

According to the Law which is holding the US Department of Homeland Security and Diplomatic Services, the Employer will take the responsibility of obtaining Flight ticket, Visa and Foreign Affairs for the Employee, while the Employee will cater for his/her Residence Work Permit.

Attached here are the official Visa and Work Permit Application Forms. You are required to print out the Forms, fill in correctly the required information in the spaces provided after which you are required to send back the scanned copy of the completed Forms to us via e-mail attachment.

As soon as you have completed the Application Forms, you are then required to scan and send back to us the following as listed below;

* Scanned copy of the completely filled Residence Work Permit Application Form.

* Scanned copy of the Visa Application Form

* Scanned copy of your International Passport

* Scanned copy of two(2) recent passport sized photographs

* Your designated address, to be correctly and clearly written in the e-mail body, where your traveling documentations would be sent to.

The following is a breakdown of the total cost of applying for an Employment Authorization Document or Residence Work Permit with Application Assistance:

• Application Assistance Fee: 180.00USD

• USCIS Fee: 410.00USD (Exceptions available for some application reasons; i.e, Disability Waiver)

• Biometrics Fee: 85.50USD (Exceptions available for some application reasons)

• Total Fee: 675.50USD

We now have strict penalties for any Applicant found to be involved in any fraudulent means to obtain Employment Authorization Document. It is a criminal offense and anyone found wanting will be made to face the full wrath of the law and will also be banned from entering the United States for a minimum of Ten (10) Years.

Upon the receipt of the above mentioned requirements, we shall take the necessary steps to process all your required Immigration Documents. Upon successful approval of your Immigration Documents by the Department of State (DOS), Office of Authentications in Washington DC, the Hard Copies of your Contract Agreement, Appointment Letter and Traveling/Immigration Documents shall be couriered to you and the United States Embassy in your home country or current country of residence. You are also advised to proceed to the United States Embassy with your sealed processed documents as soon as you receive them.

NOTE: Your documents would be processed here in the United States on your behalf by our Office. The processing of your Traveling Documents will only take us five to eight working days to be done and ready for use, during which all formal documentation processes and approval will be carried out.

All you are advised to do now is to get back to us with your filled Application Forms alongside with other supportive documents. We shall instruct you on how to proceed with the filing of your USCIS, Biometrics and Application Assistance Services fees for EAD/Residence Work Permit Document as soon as we receive your filled Application Forms. You are to direct all enquiries regarding the filling of your Forms to our Office as your Processing Officer would be glad to assist you.

Thank you for your co-operation and we await your email and the necessary requirements, so as for further actions to be taken.

Kindest Regards,

Angeles Palacios, Alisa Dillard, Michael Barry and Lalaine Cabral

USCIS Processing Officers, Deputy Field Office Director and Account Officer in charge.

Fairfax Office, Department of Homeland Security, United States.

Disclaimer: The information available on this mail is intended only for the recipient, and many details which are relevant to particular circumstances may have been omitted. It is a complete statement of immigration and nationality law or policy. When deciding applications, caseworkers in the office of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will follow the relevant casework guidance instructions and the immigration rules and nationality law. Any inquiries, complaints and the use and re-use of this information resource should be sent by e-mail: ‪‪uscis-office@presidency.com‬‬ United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office © 2019 - All rights reserved."

Another scam.

Delete

March 18, 2019 at 1:09 PM by
The "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers
info

Here is another scam:

- Forwarded message -

From: HON GARY LINDEN <mr.garywilliam@yahoo.com>

Date: Mon, Mar 18, 2019, 9:43 AM

Subject: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS

WASHINGTON, DC 20520

GREETING FROM USA EMBASSY,

ATTENTION:

THIS IS TO NOTIFY YOU THAT YOUR PACKAGE HAS BEEN IN OUR CUSTODY WAITING FOR YOUR COMPLY BEFORE THE DELIVERY WILL BE EFFECTED TO YOUR DELIVERY ADDRESS. WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO CONTACT US REGARDING YOUR PACKAGE THAT DHL EXPRESS COMPANY SUPPOSE TO DELIVER TO YOUR ADDRESS WHICH WAS PUT ON HOLD BY US DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU, REQUESTING FOR CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE WHICH WILL BE OBTAINED FROM THE ORIGINATION COUNTRY OF THE PACKAGE BEFORE IT WILL BE RELEASED/SUBSEQUENT DELIVERY TO YOUR HOME ADDRESS.

AFTER THE MEETING HELD BY OUR BOARD OF DIRECTOR WHICH WAS CONCLUDED THAT DELIVERY OF YOUR CONSIGNMENT TO YOUR ADDRESS MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN 48 HOURS UPON YOUR COMPLY TO OUR REQUIREMENT WHICH IS BY SENDING THE SUM OF $50.00 TO ENABLE US OBTAIN THE NEEDED CERTIFICATE AND EFFECT THE DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGE IMMEDIATELY.

NOTE THAT YOUR PACKAGE HAS BEEN ARRIVED IN US EMBASSY AND WAITING TO RECEIVE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE BEFORE THE DATE PASS IS GIVEN, YOU ARE ADVICED TO RECONFIRM THE BELOW INFORMATION UPON CONTACTING US TO AVOID DELIVERY TO WRONG PERSON.

FULL NAME

ADDRESS

PHONE

ONCE YOU NOTIFY US WITH THE ABOVE INFORMATION WE WILL RELEASE/DELIVER YOUR CONSIGNMENT TO YOU.

YOU CAN CONTACT US ON THE CONTACT NAME AND E-MAIL ADDRESS BELOW,

CONTACT PERSON, MR FRANK NICHOLAS

PHONE/FAX 1 ( 815 491 6280 )

EMAIL: ( u.s.departmentofstate@contractor.net )

NOTE THAT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO PAY ONLY $50.00 FOR CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE AND YOU ARE TO PAY IT TO BENIN REPUBLIC AS THE ORIGINATION COUNTRY OF THE CONSIGNMENT BOX IN FAVOUR OF MR. IKE ANA AS OUR ACCOUNTANT OFFICER IN BENIN REPUBLIC.

SEND THE $50.00 THROUGH WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM ONCE YOU RECEIVE THIS MAIL WITH THE INFORMATION BELOW FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE/DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGE.

RECEIVERS NAME REX STEVE

CITY COTONOU

COUNTRY BENIN

CODE 229

TEST QUESTION IN GOD

TEST ANSWER WE TRUST

AMOUNT $50.00

ONCE YOU SEND THE MONEY, TRY TO NOTIFY US THROUGH E-MAIL WITH THE MTCN FOR EASY PICK UP BY OUR ACCOUNTANT IN BENIN REPUBLIC AND FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION ON RELEASE/DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGE.

TREAT THIS AS MATTER OF URGENCY .

NOTE THAT ANY UNCLIAMED CONSIGNMENT WILL BE RETURNED TO DHL EXPRESS COMPANY AFTER ONE WEEK. SO YOU ARE URGENTLY ADVISED TO COMPLY WITH OUR DEMANDS SO THAT WE CAN RELEASE YOUR CONSIGNMENT.

HON GARY LINDEN.

PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER UNITED STATE EMBASSY.

FROM UNITED STATE EMBASSY.

Delete

March 18, 2019 at 12:47 PM by
The "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers
info

Here is another scam:

"From: Joan Clos (UN) <test@godinsec.net>

Sent: Saturday, March 16, 2019 6:40 AM

Subject: Re: YOUR COMPENSATION PAYMENT!

Hello and Congratulations!

This is to acquaint you on the outcome of our 1 day meeting held between the U.S Department of Homeland security Washington DC, U.N International Financial Investigation Unit and the Association of Better Business Bureau to compensate all scam victims. Upon due verification, we have jointly approved the sum US$1.5m (One million, Five hundred thousand United States Dollars) for every confirmed victim. Your E-mail address was selected through a just concluded random computer ballot system, and you were among the few selected beneficiary to be compensated at the ongoing 2019 compensation program.

Furthermore, adequate arrangement has been put in place for your approved payment to be remitted to you via issuance of a Platinum Visa Debit Card that can be accessible at any inter-switch cash machine anywhere in the world.

Finally; for the purpose of proper verification of your claims, it is imperative that you furnish us with the following of your details necessary to process release/remittance of your payment:

Your Full Name(s):

Your Direct Telephone Number:

Contact Address( For Your Visa Card Delivery)

Age:

Profession:

Photocopy of any I.D you may have:

You are expected to forward the above information to the Authorized Payment Center in South Africa below:

Paying Bank: FIRST NATIONAL BANK, GP

Contact Person: GEORGE LAFFOR

E-mail: v58mnuxr9i40woj@jetable.org

Phone: 27-63-988-3018

You are advised to contact the above bank immediately with your information to enable your fund processed and released to you within the stipulated time frame.

Cordially,

Joan Clos.

Executive Director, United Nations Human Settlements Programme

1 (636)-345-5001."

Delete

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Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

The "U.S. Department of Homeland Security" Advance Fee Scam Created by Scammers