Recognizing the First Red Flag
Urgency, secrecy, authority, and emotional pressure — the four manipulation levers used in 92% of documented consumer frauds. Learn to spot them before money moves.
Read the guide
Investigative Resource Library
Tools, Guides & Checklists for the Vigilant Consumer
Every fraud case starts with awareness. Browse our library of consumer protection guides, recovery checklists, agency directories, and forensic toolkits — built from real investigations, not press releases.
Consumer Protection Guides
Read the playbook fraudsters don't want you to see.
Plain-language explainers that walk you through how common scams actually unfold — from the first message to the final wire transfer. Written for consumers, vetted by investigators.
Wire Transfer & Gift Card Scams
Why scammers demand irreversible payment rails, the geographic corridors they prefer, and the three questions that almost always break the script.
Read the guideRomance & Long-Con Investigations
How online trust is manufactured over weeks or months, the role of voice-cloning and AI imagery, and what evidence to preserve when reporting.
Read the guideProtecting Elderly Relatives
Conversation scripts, phone settings, and bank-authorized contact forms that materially reduce the odds of a successful targeting attempt.
Read the guideAccount Takeover & SIM Swaps
The exact sequence attackers use to hijack a phone number, drain email, and reset banking passwords — and the carrier-level controls that block it.
Read the guideCrypto Recovery Scams
If you've already lost funds to a "trader" or "wallet-recovery" service, learn the difference between legitimate forensic firms and the second-wave scammers.
Read the guide
Recovery Checklist
The first 72 hours after a suspected fraud.
Time is the single most important variable in any recovery effort. This is the documented sequence investigators and victim advocates follow — distilled from 400+ closed case files.
01
Stop all contact and stop all payments
Do not engage further. Do not send "verification" or "release" fees. Screenshot everything before the scammer deletes accounts.
02
Call your bank and card issuer on a known line
Use the number on the back of your card, not a number provided by the suspect. Request transaction recalls and a temporary freeze on outgoing wires.
03
Reset credentials from a clean device
Email, banking, social, and authenticator apps — assume anything the scammer knows about is compromised. Use a device the suspect never touched.
04
File a formal report
Submit a report to the FTC, IC3, and your state attorney general. Generate case numbers — they unlock downstream agency cooperation.
05
Preserve the evidence chain
Export chat logs, transaction records, phone numbers, wallet addresses, and email headers. Submit them to our intake team for forensic review.
Reporting Agencies Directory
Where to file. What to expect. Who actually follows up.
Not every agency has jurisdiction over your case — but filing with the right ones in the right order meaningfully increases the chance of recovery. Start here.
FTC
Federal Trade Commission
reportfraud.ftc.gov — Consumer & identity reports
IC3
Internet Crime Complaint Center
ic3.gov — Cyber-enabled fraud & crypto
DD
Du Deceptions Intake
Direct line to our investigative team
USA
USA.gov Scam Hub
Federal & state routing by category
CFP
CFPB Complaint Portal
Bank, credit, debt, and money transfer
SSA
SSA Inspector General
Social Security impersonation reports
USP
US Postal Inspection Service
Mail fraud, sweepstakes, and check scams
DOJ
DOJ Elder Justice
Targeting of older adults
Educational Toolkits
Field-tested resources for journalists, advocates, and educators.
Our investigators publish the same materials we use in active casework. Each toolkit is downloadable, attribution-friendly, and updated quarterly.
Investigator's Casework Templates
Standard intake forms, evidence-chain logs, and victim interview scripts — the same documents our team uses to open a new case file.
Download toolkitWorkplace Fraud Awareness Curriculum
A four-module curriculum for HR, finance, and operations teams. Includes facilitator notes, role-play scenarios, and a graded assessment.
Download curriculumSenior Scam Prevention Workbook
Printable workbook with conversation prompts, phone settings checklists, and a directory of who to call in each of 50 states.
Download workbookOSINT Verification Quick-Reference
A one-page field reference for verifying phone numbers, email addresses, wallet addresses, and corporate registrations in under 60 seconds.
Download reference427+
Closed Case Files
38
Recovery Toolkits
$14.2M
Documented Losses Reviewed
9
Federal Agency Partnerships
Frequently Asked
Quick answers from the intake desk.
The most common questions our team receives from consumers, journalists, and partner organizations. If your question isn't here, the intake team is one click away.
Are these resources free to use?
Yes. Every guide, checklist, and toolkit on this page is free for personal, educational, and journalistic use. Commercial redistribution requires written permission — reach out via the intake form.
How do I report fraud directly to your investigative team?
Use the Report Fraud intake form. Submissions are reviewed within 48 hours, and a forensic analyst will reach out if your case matches an active investigation.
Can journalists request a source interview?
Yes. Send your deadline, the angle, and a short note about your outlet to our press desk via the About page. We respond to verified press inquiries within one business day.
Do you offer help recovering funds directly?
We are not a recovery firm and we do not charge fees. We help consumers understand what is realistically recoverable, refer them to vetted legal partners when appropriate, and contribute evidence to active agency investigations.
How often are these resources updated?
The library is reviewed and republished every quarter. Active scam alerts on the Scam Alerts page are updated continuously as new patterns are verified by our analysts.
Verified Sources
Every guide cites primary sources — court filings, agency advisories, and case file evidence.
Plain Language
Written for consumers, not attorneys. Legal terms are defined in context.
No Paywall
We do not gate life-safety information behind subscriptions or downloads.
Open Citations
Adapt freely with attribution. We publish source notes for every published toolkit.
Take the next step
Spotted something that doesn't add up?
Every case file in our archive started with a single report. Yours could be the next one that protects another consumer from the same trap.