Have you ever been scammed online? It can be a devastating experience. You spend money and time on what was supposed to be an honest, straightforward transaction. But it turns out that the company is a scam, or your information has been compromised, or something else has gone wrong. You’re likely filled with anger, confusion, or frustration. How do you get your money back?
Step 1: Report the scam to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Step 2: Identify the true identity of the scammer
Step 3: Search their assets across all asset classes
Step 4: Obtain a writ of garnishment for located assets
Step 5: Deliver the writ of garnishment to the proper asset-holding authority
Recovery scams occur when scam companies pose as asset recovery companies and claim to be able to recover your lost funds when in actuality they are just taking more of your money and they’re likely the ones who scammed you in the first place. If they reached out to you first, how did they know who you were? A random legitimate company won’t know that you’ve been scammed unless they’re the scammers.
Typically these scammers will reach out to you, not the other way around. They’ll say they can get your money back by hacking into the scammer’s bank account, but first, they need $10,000 from you to recover the funds. Alternatively, they may simply pose as an asset recovery firm that can help you but they’ll still want a large sum of money upfront. When presented with this type of service offering, given your situation, ask the following questions:
You don’t have to hire anyone to assist in scam recovery unless you want to. Understandably, many people who are scammed are uneasy about giving more money to another company. If you decide to hire a professional investigator to assist in scam recovery, make sure to thoroughly vet the company to ensure its legitimacy.
It’s very important for the future of online business that scammers are identified and prosecuted. If a scammer can get away with it once, they will likely try to do it again. It’s also important that consumers be educated about the basic steps they can take to keep themselves safe and increase their chances of recovering funds when they are taken advantage of by a scammer. Working with investigators is an essential part of that process, but it’s wise to carefully vet new investigators before making any hires or paying them any money. And always take the time to document everything—it could prove invaluable when you decide to go down this road.
Want to discuss your case with a license private investigator from Active Intel? Schedule your consultation today!