Reporting potentially illegal websites

[staffordian]

Following on from this query...

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=5473&p=56659#p56659

I wondered whether there was anywhere that such potentially scamming websites could or should be reported to?

Or even if it might be worth contacting RR about it.

Any views or advice?

Thanks,

Staffordian

[chas49]

http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud

http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/information-reports

[staffordian]

http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud

http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/information-reports

Thank you.

I had heard of that site, but understood they did nothing to investigate or stop them. I may be wrong, I'll look into it further.

Staffordian

Edit:

It doesn't appear that simply finding a suspicious website meets their reporting criterea...

What are we looking for?

Phishing - any email/call/message which has been received claiming to be an official body and asking for personal details, has promised rewards, prizes or shares of fortunes for small fees.

Malware - this is unwanted software which has adversely affected your computer, phone or computer device. It may have been downloaded when you were visiting a website or via an email link.

[PinkDalek]

Following on from this query...

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=5473&p=56659#p56659

I wondered whether there was anywhere that such potentially scamming websites could or should be reported to?

Or even if it might be worth contacting RR about it.

Any views or advice?

Thanks,

Staffordian

I lost a lengthier reply but, in addition to ActionFraud, you can always use https://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/report ... rised-firm and, if a number of reports are made, they may investigate and issue a warning in due course. I've used the form in the past, despite not having been contacted. The fact that http://www.rolls-roycebond.com/ use both the FCA logo and say they are FCA Regulated, may encourage the FCA to do something.

I've no idea if GoDaddy act but you could always try Abuse Contact Email:abuse@godaddy.com

There's a similar thread linked below, which perhaps is where the OP of the other thread found out about the webpage http://moneyforums.citywire.co.uk/yaf_p ... -scam.aspx

[PinkDalek]

... It doesn't appear that simply finding a suspicious website meets their reporting criterea...

It depends on which page you look at.

This one http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/information-reports includes (my bold):

How do I make an information report?

The easiest way to make an information report is to use our online fraud reporting tool.

Go to the Report a fraud page on our website and click on ‘Report a fraud online’.

This will launch the online fraud reporting tool.

When you reach the page ‘About you’, select ‘I am not a victim, I have information relating to fraud to pass on’.

Continue to fill out this online fraud reporting tool, providing as much information as you can.

So it might do no harm in using the form.

[melonfool]

You could also try Trading Standards?

On a slightly different theme, I recently reported something to The Gambling Commission (a 'pay £5 to enter and win a pair of false eyebrows worth £30' thing on Facebook - I asked if they had a gaming licence and they deleted my reply and blocked me from commenting) and was heartened by their response which did actually seem to be more than an auto-reply.

Remains to be seen whether they actually do something.

Mel

[PinkDalek]

You could also try Trading Standards? ...

Mel

Not convinced it is in their jurisdiction. The webpage appears to be hosted overseas and doesn't provide a UK address (bogus or otherwise). When Operation Broadway were doing their raids in the City of London, they needed a physical address ...

[staffordian]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've logged it with the FCA and with Fraud Action, though the latter's site wasn't very helpful, with a fixed template and limited scope for giving details. The only fields where inputs were possible would not accept hyphens etc so not easy to give the website!

It will be interesting to see if the site stays up. I'm not holding my breath...

[dionaeamuscipula]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've logged it with the FCA and with Fraud Action, though the latter's site wasn't very helpful, with a fixed template and limited scope for giving details.

This is exactly my experience with Action Fraud. It took me forever to wade my way through the web form to allow me to report the fraud I was reporting (a compromised bank account being used in a Whaling scam) in a way that described it accurately. I thought I'd given sufficient detail for them to follow up, but instead just got back a thanks but no thanks reply. The bank concerned were even less interested when I rang them direct - they told me to contact Action Fraud.

I won't be trying to report a fraud again in a hurry.

DM

[PinkDalek]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've logged it with the FCA and with Fraud Action, though the latter's site wasn't very helpful, with a fixed template and limited scope for giving details.

This is exactly my experience with Action Fraud. It took me forever to wade my way through the web form to allow me to report the fraud I was reporting (a compromised bank account being used in a Whaling scam) in a way that described it accurately. I thought I'd given sufficient detail for them to follow up, but instead just got back a thanks but no thanks reply. The bank concerned were even less interested when I rang them direct - they told me to contact Action Fraud.

I won't be trying to report a fraud again in a hurry.

DM

That's a shame and, yes, the web form isn't great.

However, pulling in a couple of posts of mine from TMF in April 2016:

'Statement in response to newspaper coverage of Action Fraud'
https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/news ... il-16.aspx

It includes:

"Action Fraud, hosted by the City of London police is the national fraud and cyber crime reporting service taking in around a million reports every year from individuals, businesses and agencies. Each one of these are assessed by the City of London Police and those cases which have viable lines of enquiry, or leads to go on, are sent to police forces or other agencies for consideration and investigation."

... and, in response to CK back then:

It depends on how you value your time but I would continue to report matters of relevance, especially if there appears to be "viable lines of enquiry".

Yes they get a great deal of flack but, for instance, this involved them:

http://www.tradingstandardsecrime.org.u ... -operator/

Extract:

"Specialist e-crime investigators from the National Trading Standards eCrime Team (NTSeCT), working closely with ActionFraud and colleagues in Redcar and Cleveland Trading Standards, helped bring Mr Jamil to justice after his company ‘Smart Support Guys’, duped a large number of UK consumers into handing over money."

I spoke to someone high up in Trading Standards last week [that was in April 2016]. As for ActionFraud, it is a matter of resources, unfortunately.

[dionaeamuscipula]

Two down, 999,998 to go.