Scammers are determined to catch people off guard during these stressful times. If you suspect that you are a victim of wire fraud, it’s important to act quickly. Take these steps immediately:

1. Contact your financial institution immediately upon discovering the fraudulent wire transfer and request that they make attempts to stop it.

2. Request that your financial institution contact the corresponding financial institution where the fraudulent wire transfer was sent.

3. Notify your local Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office as soon as you suspect a fraudulent wire transfer. The FBI, working with the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, might be able to help return or freeze the funds.

4. Be sure to file a complaint with the FBI, regardless of dollar loss. www.ic3/gov

5. Notify all affected or potentially affected parties.

6. Change all your passwords. If possible, change usernames as well.

7. Whether the scammer contacted you via email or phone., report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1.877.382.4357 or online at www.ftc.gov/complaint

WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO KNOW:

When contacting law enforcement or filing a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, identify your incident as “BEC/EAC”. Then provide the following helpful information to investigators:

• Date and time of incident

• Amount transferred

• Originating financial institution name and address

• Beneficiary name

• Beneficiary financial institution name and address

• Beneficiary account number

• Correspondent bank if known

• IP, email address and/or phone number of fraudulent accounts

• Incorrectly formatted letterhead or email signature

• Description of contact with the scammer, including frequency and timing of calls and emails

• Describe if something just seemed “off”, such as timing, requests for secrecy or immediacy, and/or unusual wording in the fraudulent phone calls of emails.