BBB Tip of the Week

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, recently released its 2014 Internet crime report. It covers cyber complaints, the age and state of residence of those filing complaints, and reported monetary losses.

Frequently reported Internet crimes included auto fraud, government impersonation email scams, intimidation and extortion scams, real estate fraud, confidence fraud and romance scams.

Cybercrimes involving social media trended upward, quadrupling over the past five years. Also up were complaints about virtual or crypto currency scams. Business email compromise scams, first reported to IC3 in 2010, also were on the rise, accounting for $226 million in losses in 2014.

In the Northwest, Washington consumers filed 6,388 complaints, reporting losses over $14.7 million. Those in Idaho filed 1,057 complaints for over $3.3 million in losses.

The IC3 report is at http://1.usa.gov/1V5Krn4, and crime prevention tips are at http://www.ic3.gov/ preventiontips.aspx. To file a cybercrime complaint, go to http://www.ic3.gov/complaint.

To avoid falling victim to these crimes, Better Business Bureau recommends:

• If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Be cautious about all investment opportunities, business prospects and work-from-home offers. Research investment firms and brokers at www.finra.org/brokercheck and check out company business reviews at www.bbb.org.

• Scammers use many methods to appear like legitimate businesses. Check out every business by going directly to its website. Do not follow links or call numbers provided in emails, voicemails or text messages. Instead, use verifiable contact methods to contact businesses.

• Scammers play on emotions such as fear and greed, usually urging victims to make quick decisions without thinking things through. You can combat this by staying calm in “emergency” situations. Never react quickly to requests for money. Always check with family and friends to verify stories of “loved ones” in trouble. Verify “chance” prizes and lottery-winning claims, especially if you are asked to pay to receive the prize.

For more tips you can trust, visit BBB Consumer News and Opinion Blog at www.bbb.org/blog/ or call (509) 455-4200.

Erin T. Dodge, BBB editor