If you fall victim to a scam, contact your local law enforcement agency to report the crime.

If you receive materials or emails that you believe could be a scam or fraud, but you have not cashed the check or invested your own funds, then a crime may not have been committed.  The Texas Office of the Attorney General would like to be informed of the attempted scam or fraud.  The Office of the Attorney General’s is best contacted through their website:

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/consumer/scams.shtml

If the scam or fraud involved the internet you can also notify the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).  The IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the National White Collar Crime Center, and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.  Complaints can be filed at the IC3 website:

http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

If you provided any personal information to the scammers, you are advised to take precautionary steps to prevent or stop identity theft.  Your identity is a valuable commodity that may be sold or traded among identity theft criminals many times making it a difficult crime to stop or prosecute.  Identity theft can cost you time, frustration, and money.  Protect your identity!  For more information on the prevention of identity theft visit the National Crime Prevention Council website at:

http://www.ncpc.org/cms/cms-upload/prevent/files/IDtheftrev.pdf

or Texas Office of the Attorney General website:

http://www.texasfightsidtheft.gov/