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The FBIFBI FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, the FBI is also a member of the U.S. Intelligence Community and reports to both the Attorney General and the Director of National Intelligence. A leading U.S. counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, and criminal investigative organization, the FBI has jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crimes, including financial fraud. & ScamScam A Scam is a confidence trick - a crime - is an attempt to defraud a person or group after first gaining their trust through deception. Scams or confidence tricks exploit victims using their credulity, naïveté, compassion, vanity, irresponsibility, or greed and exploiting that. Researchers have defined confidence tricks as "a distinctive species of fraudulent conduct ... intending to further voluntary exchanges that are not mutually beneficial", as they "benefit con operators ('con men' - criminals) at the expense of their victims (the 'marks')". A scam is a crime even if no money was lost. Victims: Resources & Information
Financial Crime and You – From the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Victim Services Division
The following is extracted from the FBI’s brochure for victims of financial crimes and includes important information for scam and financial crime victims:
To reach the: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Victim Services Division – visit or call: (202) 324-3000 | www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services
The Impact of Financial Crime
The impact of a financial crime may have serious and long-term consequences. Individuals who experience financial crimes report feeling isolated, hopeless, and betrayed, but there is help. The FBI realizes that you will most likely have questions about how your case will be handled and what services and information will be available to you.
The Investigation
Although the months or years ahead may be difficult for you and your family, your cooperation is important to ensure that justice is fully achieved. The investigation of a possible financial crime can be lengthy and complex and often involves several law enforcement agencies. Some investigations may involve hundreds of victims in one case. During this process, your case agent or Victim Specialist will remain your principle contact. If you learn of or remember anything additional about the crime, contact the case agent. Due to the sensitive nature of an ongoing federal investigation, information available to you will be limited.
For information on your rights during the investigation, please refer to the FBI Help for Victims of Crime brochure.
How Will I Obtain Information?
Federal crime victims have a number of rights during their participation in the criminalCriminal A criminal is any person who through a decision or act engages in a crime. This can be complicated, as many people break laws unknowingly, however, in our context, it is a person who makes a decision to engage in unlawful acts or to place themselves with others who do this. A criminal always has the ability to decide not to break the law, or if they initially engage in crime to stop doing it, but instead continues. justice system, including the right to limited information about the status of the case.
You may either receive periodic updates through our Victim Notification System or you may contact the case agent or agency’s Victim Specialists on an ongoing basis.
It is very important that you report any address changes or changes in contact information during the criminal investigation, prosecution, and incarceration of the defendant.
What Can I Do About My Financial Losses?
Collect and save all documents and electronic transmissions that directly relate to your loss, including expenses incurred during your participation in the investigation or prosecution. If an arrest is made and a conviction is obtained, the judge may require the offender to pay restitutionRestitution Restitution is where a court orders the defendant to give up his gains to the claimant (victim). It should be contrasted with Compensation, the law of loss-based recovery, in which a court orders the defendant to pay the claimant for their loss.. This means the sentencing judge may order a convicted defendant to pay identified victims for certain losses suffered as a result of the crime. You may be asked to provide verification of your loss amount.
In addition, some losses may be tax-deductible, Tax laws are complicated, so consult a qualified tax advisor or the Internal Revenue Service to see if your losses qualify.
There may also be federal or state agencies that have remission or compensation funds depending on the license of an individual or business that committed the fraudFraud In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain (money or other assets), or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compensation) or criminal law (e.g., a fraud perpetrator may be prosecuted and imprisoned by governmental authorities), or it may cause no loss of money, property, or legal right but still be an element of another civil or criminal wrong. The purpose of fraud may be monetary gain or other benefits, for example by obtaining a passport, travel document, or driver's license, or mortgage fraud, where the perpetrator may attempt to qualify for a mortgage by way of false statements. A fraud can also be a hoax, which is a distinct concept that involves deliberate deception without t