Updated August 5, 2020 |
Infoplease Staff
What are the most common fraud complaints for Internet? Fake check scams top the list, while general merchandise sales are a close second. Protect yourself from becoming a victim to one of these scams by reading our guides on the "Dirty Dozen" Email Scams and the biggest "Dot Cons," or general Internet Scams. If you suspect you're a victim of an Internet fraud, visit the National Fraud Information Center.
| Complaint | % of all complaints | Average Loss |
|---|---|---|
| Fake Check Scams | 29% | $3,310.87 |
| General merchandise | 23 | 1,136.84 |
| Auctions1 | 13 | 1,371.08 |
| Nigerian Money Offers | 11 | 4,043.14 |
| Lotteries/Lottery Clubs | 7 | 998.43 |
| Advance Fee Loans | 3 | 1,310.77 |
| Prizes/Sweepstakes | 3 | 1,181.58 |
| Phishing2 | 3 | 220.47 |
| Friendship & Sweetheart Swindles | 1 | 3,038.31 |
| Internet Access Services | 1 | 896.99 |
1. In the fall of 2003, online giant eBay removed the link from its Web site to fraud.org. As a result, the number of auction complaints reported to NCL's fraud center has dropped to a fraction of its previous levels.
2. Pretending to be a legitimate company to trick people into providing private information for use in identity theft.
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