There are many types of financial harm, and it can be difficult to know what to do 

when this happens to you, or someone you know. This document will help you 

quickly find the right reporting agency.

Throughout this document, dark gold text and buttons link to financial topics, 

reporting agencies’ websites, and helpful resources. Use these links to navigate 

the content.

Topics

• Commodity Futures & Derivatives Fraud

• Consumer Fraud

• Contractor & Handyman Service Providers

• Financial Crimes Against Nursing Home Residents

• Financial Service Providers - Credit Card, Bank, 

Loan Issues

• Identity Theft

• Internet Crimes - Computer Hacked, Online 

Extortion, or Money Laundering

• IRS Tax Scam & Impersonation

• Mail Theft

• Medicaid Fraud

• Securities Fraud

• Social Security Fraud & Misuse

• Someone You Know & Trust

• VA Benefits Fraud & Misuse

• VA Extended Care & Home Care Fraud
10/03/16 2

Commodity Futures &

Derivatives Fraud

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) receives 

complaints related to:

• Commodity futures contracts 

(cattle, sugar, grains, oil, gas, 

metals, etc.)

• Options on commodity futures

• Commodity pools

• Leveraged precious metals

• Foreign exchange (forex)

• Virtual currencies (Bitcoin, etc.)

• Binary options

Or call the CFTC's toll-free number at 1-866-366-2382.

• CFTC will only contact you if they need to know more about your tip or 

complaint.

• Some complaints are pursued in the court system. The CFTC provides 

Case Status Reports to inform the public of the status of ongoing legal 

cases brought against defendants.

CFTC SmartCheckSM 

CFTC RED (Registration Deficient) List

CFTC Fraud Advisories

Securities Fraud

Financial Service Providers - Credit 

Card, Bank, Loan Issues
10/03/16 3

Consumer Fraud

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) takes complaints about 

problems with:

• Scams and rip-offs

• Unwanted telemarketing, text, 

and SPAM 

• Advertising claims

• Online shopping

• Privacy promises

• Education, jobs, and making 

money

• Debt collection

• Cars

• Health and fitness

• The FTC cannot resolve individual complaints, but will provide you with 

information about what next steps to take on your own.

• Complaints are stored in a secure database.

• Local, state, federal, and international law enforcement agencies can use 

these complaints to open investigations or to detect patterns of fraud and 

abuse.

Consumer Information

Consumer Information: Scam Alerts

Identity Theft

Social Security Fraud & Misuse

Medicaid Fraud

VA Benefits Fraud & Misuse

Financial Service Providers - Credit 

Card, Bank, Loan Issues
10/03/16 4

Contractor & Handyman

Service Providers

State Attorney General’s offices handle complaints against contractor 

and handyman service providers, such as:

• Deceptive practices that result in 

financial loss or theft in the 

course of what seem like 

legitimate business transactions

• Yard work or home repairs 

where the work is not done or 

badly done

• Charging excessive fees for 

completed work

• What happens next depends on the state where you live. Each state has its

own set of rules.

• Check with your state's Attorney General for next steps.

Protect Your Pocketbook – Tips to 

Avoid Financial Exploitation

WISER Nurse: Protecting your Mother 

from Financial Fraud and Abuse 

Protect Yourself from Abuse, Neglect, 

and Exploitation 

Home Improvement Scams - Tools to 

Reduce Your Risk

Identity Theft

Someone You Know & Trust

Consumer Fraud
10/03/16 5

Financial Crimes Against 

Nursing Home Residents

Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) investigate issues like these:

• Theft

• Neglect

• Physical abuse

• Sexual abuse

• What happens next depends on the state where you live. Each state has its

own set of rules.

• Check with your state's MFCU for next steps.

National Association of Medicaid Fraud 

Control Units 

Protecting Yourself and Medicare from 

Fraud

Medical Identity Theft

Protecting Residents from Financial

Exploitation: A Manual for Assisted 

Living and Nursing Facilities

VA Benefits Fraud & Misuse

Social Security Fraud & Misuse
10/03/16 6

Financial Service 

Providers

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) handles 

complaints on these types of consumer financial products:

• Credit cards

• Mortgages

• Student loans

• Consumer loans

• Bank accounts and services

• Credit reporting

• Money transfers

• Debt collection

• Payday loans

• Prepaid, credit repair and debt 

settlement services, and title and 

pawn loans

• Virtual currency

• Marketplace lending

Or call (855) 411-CFPB (2372). Speak with an attendant who can answer 

questions and refer you to other services you may need that are offered outside of 

CFPB.

• The CFPB will forward your complaint to the company and work to get you 

a response.

• You will receive a response from the CFPB, generally within 15 days.

Ask	CFPB

Financial Protection for Older 

Americans

Managing Someone Else’s Money

Identity Theft

Securities Fraud

Consumer Fraud
10/03/16 7

Know Your Financial Adviser

“Older Americans are not alone in the 

fight to stop financial abuse” 

Considering a Reverse Mortgage?

Four things older Americans can do 

about debt collection problems
10/03/16 8

Identity Theft

IdentityTheft.gov is where you can report misuse of your information

related to:

• Credit cards

• Tax returns

• Medical records

• Government benefits

• Any other type of identity theft

• Report identity theft and get a personal recovery plan.

• Get an affidavit and pre-filled letters and forms to give to creditors and 

businesses.

Consumer Information 

Consumer Information: Identity Theft

Financial Service Providers - Credit 

Card, Bank, Loan Issues

Consumer Fraud

Social Security Fraud & Misuse
10/03/16 9

Internet Crimes

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) receives complaints on 

these issues:

• Computer intrusions (hacking)

• Online extortion

• International money laundering

• A growing list of 

Internet facilitated crimes

• Once you file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), 

you will receive the following message at the top of your filed complaint: 

“Thank you for submitting your complaint to the IC3. Please save or print 

a copy for your records. This is the only time you will have to make a copy 

of your complaint.”

• Complaints are reviewed by IC3 and referred to the appropriate law 

enforcement and regulatory agencies, for criminal, civil, or administrative 

action, as appropriate.

• Investigation and prosecution is decided by agency that receives the 

complaint.

• Since IC3 does not conduct the investigation, they cannot provide you with 

the status of your complaint.

Fraud Target: Senior Citizens

Fraud Tips for Seniors

Tips for Avoiding Scams

Identity Theft

Consumer Fraud
10/03/16 10

IRS Tax Scam

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) 

investigates:

• Impersonation schemes involving the IRS

There are numerous telephone and email scams in which individuals claim to be

employees of the IRS. These scammers often state that they are from the IRS 

Enforcement Division or the Criminal Investigation Division and tell victims that 

they have an unpaid federal tax bill. They often threaten to arrest victims, unless 

the claimed tax bill is paid in full. Do not provide any personal information or 

payment to these individuals and do not use iTunes or other pre-paid gift cards to 

pay a claimed tax bill.

Or contact TIGTA at 1-800-366-4484.

• Special Agents from TIGTA may contact you if you have lost money or 

identity information.

• You will be contacted only if more information is needed about your 

complaint.

IRS Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts Identity Theft

Consumer Fraud
10/03/16 11

Mail Theft

The United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigates:

• Mail Theft

Or call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777).

• UPSIS will contact you only if more information is needed.

Delivering Trust Identity Theft

Consumer Fraud
10/03/16 12

Medicaid Fraud

Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) investigate issues like these:

• Billing for goods or services not 

provided

• Billing for "phantom" patients

• Double billing

• Billing for more expensive 

procedures than were performed

• Billing for medically 

unnecessary goods or services

• Billing for non-covered goods or 

services

• Kickbacks

• Managed Care Plans committing 

patient recruiting or enrollment 

fraud

• Managed Care Providers billing 

Managed Care Plans for 

medically unnecessary services

• What happens next depends on the state where you live. Each state has its

own set of rules.

• Check with your state's MFCU for next steps.

National Association of Medicaid Fraud 

Control Units 

Protecting Yourself and Medicare from 

Fraud

Medical Identity Theft

VA Benefits Fraud & Misuse

Social Security Fraud & Misuse

Financial Crimes Against Residents
10/03/16 13

Securities Fraud

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) fields complaints and

questions concerning:

• Investments

• Investment accounts

• Financial professionals

For questions, call the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy at

1-800-732-0330 or visit Investor.gov

• The SEC provides general responses for some types of complaints.

• Questions generally receive more detailed responses.

• You may not receive a follow up response from the SEC, depending on the 

nature of your complaint.

Investor.gov

Protect Your Money: Check out 

Brokers and Investment Advisers

Seniors Protect Yourself Against 

Investment Fraud

Identity Theft

Commodity Futures & Derivatives 

Fraud

Financial Service Providers - Credit 

Card, Bank, Loan Issues
10/03/16 14

Social Security Fraud & Misuse

The Social Security Administration (SSA) investigates reports like 

these:

• Providing false information or 

evidence for a benefit claim

• Concealment of work and assets

• Representative payee misuse

• Misuse and trafficking of Social 

Security numbers and cards by 

people or businesses

• Reports of criminal activity and 

serious misconduct involving 

Social Security employees

Or call 1-800-269-0271.

• SSA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigates all reports that are 

filed.

• SSA OIG cannot provide you with information about actions taken on any 

reports.

• Federal regulations do not allow information in law enforcement records 

to be shared, even with the person who made the report.

When people need help managing their 

money

When a payee manages your money

A guide for representative payees

Spotlight on Fraud

Identity Theft

Medicaid Fraud 

VA Benefits Fraud & Misuse
10/03/16 15

Someone You Know &

Trust

Local and state Adult Protective Services (APS) agencies handle 

financial exploitation committed by people close to older adults, such 

as:

• Theft using ATM cards, checks, 

or taking cash or property

• Using the power of attorney to 

benefit oneself

• Forgery of a signature

• Unauthorized sales or changes 

to property titles or wills

• Avoiding a doctor’s appointment 

to save the co-pay

• Threats if money is not handed 

over

• Signing over property under 

pressure

• What happens next depends on the state where you live. Each state has its 

own set of rules.

• Check with the reporting agency for next steps.

Power of Attorney

Money Smart for Older Adults -

Prevent Financial Exploitation

Protect Your Pocketbook – Tips to 

Avoid Financial Exploitation

WISER Nurse: Protecting your Mother 

from Financial Fraud and Abuse 

Planning for diminished capacity and 

Identity Theft

Social Security Fraud & Misuse

Medicaid Fraud

VA Benefits Fraud & Misuse
10/03/16 16

illness

Protect Yourself from Abuse, Neglect, 

and Exploitation

Managing Someone Else’s Money
10/03/16 17

VA Benefits Fraud &

Misuse

Veterans Affairs (VA) investigates reports of:

• Misuse of a beneficiary's VA benefits

Or call the VA fiduciary program toll free number 1-888-407-0144,

Or the VA toll free number 1-800-827-1000.

• VA	fiduciary	hubs	review	all	claims	of	misuse.

• If	misuse	is	likely,	VA	will	work	quickly	to	replace	the	fiduciary.	

• The	VA	fiduciary	hub	will	investigate	and	determine	if	misuse	occurred.

• If	misuse	occurred, VA	will	work	to	make	the	beneficiary	whole	by	reissuing	

the	misused	funds	when	it	can.

• VA	aggressively	pursues	debt	collection	of	VA	funds	from	misusing	

fiduciaries.

• If	misuse	occurred,	VA	provides	the	information	to	VA’s	Office	of	Inspector	

General	to	pursue	a	criminal	investigation.	

A Guide for VA Fiduciaries VA Extended Care & Home Care Fraud
10/03/16 18

Identity Theft

Social Security Fraud & Misuse
10/03/16 19

VA Extended Care &

Home Care Fraud

Veterans Affairs (VA) investigates claims of fraud, abuse, or neglect 

involving:

• Veteran residents of a VA 

nursing home

• Veterans receiving home care

• The VA will review your E-mail.

• Depending on the nature of your complaint, the VA may refer the 

complaint to your state Attorney General's office for investigation and 

prosecution.

Geriatrics and Extended Care Identity Theft

Medicaid Fraud

Social Security Fraud & Misuse