Cases of online fraud are increasing worldwide these days. Now, the US FBI has warned that people are being scammed even when they report online fraud.

What if you report fraud and then get scammed again? It would be like adding insult to injury. Several such cases have been reported in the United States where cybercriminals are creating fake websites by imitating government websites that register fraud, and people are being scammed again. In light of this, the FBI has issued a warning. 

What is the whole matter?

The Internet Crime Complaint Center is an FBI portal for reporting cybercrime. Last year, more than 800,000 complaints were filed, resulting in losses of $16.6 billion. Cybercriminals have now created a fake portal to mimic this very portal. Its domain name is also similar, making it difficult for people to identify the real site. Therefore, if someone wants to report fraud, they are redirected to the fake portal. Cybercriminals are stealing sensitive information such as name, address, email address, and banking details. The FBI has issued an advisory regarding this matter. It's worth noting that this isn't the first such case. According to some reports, cybercriminals are also impersonating government officials to defraud people. 

How to keep yourself safe?

• Before complaining on any portal, carefully review its URL. If you find any spelling mistakes, be cautious.
• When filing an online complaint, always enter the complete URL and avoid clicking on any other link appearing in the search results.
• Before filing a complaint, please review the portal carefully, and if you find anything suspicious, contact the concerned agency.
• No government official ever asks you for details like your PIN number. If someone asks for such sensitive details, you're likely being scammed.