Fraud, Scams and Identity Theft
Fraud, scams and identity theft are too common a part of life. It’s important to be vigilant and not to be compromised by suspicious behavior or deception. If something doesn’t seem right or you notice errors in your accounts, don’t wait. Get help right away.
Books and Books on CD
- Credit Repair by Amy Loftsgordon
(available in print) - The Less People Know About Us by Axton Betz-Hamilton
(available in print) - Long-term Care by J.L. Matthews
(available in print) - Pogue’s Basics: Money by David Pogue
(available in print) - Rossen to the Rescue by Jeff Rossen
(available in print) - Swiped by Adam Levin
(available in print, audio, eBook formats) - Your Score by Anthony Davenport
(available in print and eAudio formats)
Who to Contact
- AARP Tips and tools to help protect you
- Scams and fraud Hotline 877-908-3360
- Identity theft
- Better Business Bureau Find businesses that use best practices and standards for customer service and/or quality.
- Phone 312-832-0500
- Toll Free 888-982-0210
- Consumer Finance Protection Bureau Information Instructions for submitting a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about an array of financial products and services.
- 815-411-2372
- Illinois Attorney General Protects Illinois consumers and businesses victimized by fraud, deception, and unfair business practices, and offers dispute resolution programs for consumers with complaints.
- Consumer Fraud Hotline 800-386-5438 (Chicago)
- Senior Citizen Consumer Fraud 800-243-5377
- Identity Theft 866-999-5630
- Experian : Types of identity theft Safeguard sensitive, private information and spot fraudulent activity.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation Identifies scams and gives victims tips on how to protect themselves from fraud.
- 855-835-5324 (Emergency)
- 321-421-6700 (Chicago)
- Coronavirus fraud information
- Federal Communications Commission ; For information about COVID-19 scams Information and guides about various frauds and scams.
- Federal Deposit Insurance Commission ; 877-ASKFDIC (877-275-3342) Cybersecurity awareness basics and ways to avoid identity theft, scams and fraud
- Federal Trade Commission A resource for information on safety online, and reporting and recovering from identity theft.
- 877-382-4357
- To report fraud
- To report identity theft
- Internal Revenue Service ; To avoid COVID-19 scams Help with how to identify and report fraud and identity theft
- Plainfield (IL) Police Department : 815-436-6544 Always report fraud, scams and identity theft to local police.
- Social Security Administration How to identify scams, fraud and identity theft and how to report them to the Social Security Administration.
- TransUnion They have tools that can help make sure your credit is safe.
- Treasury Department ; For communications about COVID-19 grants, stimulus payments, etc. Fraud and scams can be reported so they can be tracked and stopped.
- USA.gov Fraud and Scams 844-USAGIV1 (844-872-4681) Identifies various places to report scams, fraud and identity theft.
- Your bank
- Your Insurance Company
- Your Lawyer
- Your Medical provider
Useful Websites
- Aralegal : Most common identity theft scams
- Consumer Federal Trade Commission Identify common types of scams and identity theft, and steps to take if you are a victim.
- Helpwithmybank.gov: Office of the Comptroller for help with identity theft
- Nolo.com Debt Collector or Scammer: How to Tell the Difference?
- U.S. Department of Justice : Identity theft and identity fraud Provides information on what identity theft and identity fraud are, and outlines steps to follow if you are a victim of these crimes
- Lynda.com from Linkedin: Various classes on Frauds, Scams and Identity theft
- USA.gov See how to protect yourself from fraud and scams and how to respond if you are a victim