If you have been conned, the first thing you must do is to act quickly! Contact local and state authorities and file a report. Call your county prosecutor and/or attorney general's office and let them know what has happened. You may find that you are not alone and that several others have fallen victim to the same scam as you.
In addition, report the con to the National Fraud Information Center (1-800-876-7060). If mail was involved, contact your local postal inspector. Finally, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Although the Better Business Bureau cannot help you get your money back or press charges, by placing a report on file with them, you may help others from being scammed by a fraudulent seller.
Most people are embarrassed that they have fallen victim to a scam and therefore have a tendency not to report what has happened to them. However, someone committing fraud cannot be stopped if you do not contact the authorities. They will continue cheating innocent people until someone reports them. It is also highly likely that you are not alone. If you have been cheated, others probably have been as well. Until someone takes action, the person committing fraud will not be stopped. Your report could be the one that ends a scam in your area.
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