Criminal Defense Lawyers

What is Wire Fraud?

Wire fraud refers to criminals using the wires – phone, internet, etc – to scam you out of money. It’s a federal crime under 18 U.S. Code § 1343.

Some examples are:

• Phishing – when someone sends you an email pretending to be someone else to trick you into sharing personal info
• Fake invoices – when someone sends you a fake bill and gets you to wire money to them
• Romance scams – when someone you met online tries to get you to send them money
• Lottery/prize scams – when you get a message saying you won money but have to pay fees
• Tech support scams – when someone claims there’s a problem with your computer and takes remote access to steal financial info

Basically if someone lied to or misled you over phone/internet to get you to send money, it could be wire fraud.

First Steps After Discovering You’re a Victim

If you realized you were scammed, here are some quick first steps experts recommend:

• Contact your bank immediately – tell them it was fraud so they can try to reverse the wire transfer. The sooner the better!
• Report it to authorities – file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and your local police. Give them details like names, emails, phone numbers, etc.
• Let the FTC know – report it to the Federal Trade Commission too. The more complaints they get about a scam, the more they can investigate.
• Alert your credit card company – if you used a credit or debit card, report the fraud to them quickly. They can freeze the card, dispute charges, and watch for other suspicious activity.
• Change passwords – update passwords for your email, bank accounts, or anywhere personal info could have been accessed. Make them strong too – try random phrases with symbols, numbers, and capital letters.

I know that probably all sounds overwhelming. But getting those reports filed quickly can really help protect you and prevent further losses. The next steps are gathering evidence and understanding your options.

Gather Evidence of the Fraud

To help authorities investigate and build a case, collect as much evidence about the fraud as you can find.

• Save all communications – emails, texts, screenshots, etc. Don’t delete anything even if it seems unimportant.
• Get transaction records – bank and credit card statements can help show dates, times, amounts of unauthorized activity.
• Write down details – document how/when you were contacted, what info they had about you, what they said to mislead you. Anything you can remember.
• Take notes of conversations – if you speak to anyone involved again, keep detailed notes of what was said. Don’t let them know you’re onto them though.
• Research the scammers – look up phone numbers, emails, addresses, names, websites, etc to get info like if others were targeted.

Building this paper trail can really bolster investigations and help get justice. I know it’s a hassle, but future-you will appreciate it!

Understanding Your Legal Options

After collecting evidence, learn about your options to potentially get money back or stop the scammers:

• Civil lawsuit – you may be able to sue the fraudsters for financial damages. Very tough to collect but can get a judgement against them.
• Reporting to regulators – if it involved investments or securities, report it to the SEC or CFTC. They can penalize scammers.
• IC3 complaint – the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center works with law enforcement globally to potentially prosecute wire fraud.
• FTC & state AG complaints– complaints help the FTC and your state attorney general track and sue scammers.
• Small claims court – for smaller dollar amounts, you can sue in small claims court yourself without a lawyer.
• Credit card chargebacks – if you paid parts with a credit card, the card issuer can reverse those transactions.
• Bank dispute – the bank might be able to recall wire transfers if reported very quickly. Never hurts to ask!
• Crime victim compensation – some states have funds for victims of crimes like fraud. There’s info here on applying.

I’d recommend talking to a lawyer to understand which options fit your specific situation. But the more you can report it, the better chance of getting help!

How to Avoid Being Scammed Again

I totally get how violating and scary fraud can feel. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself in the future:

• Be skeptical – don’t trust calls/emails/texts from anyone asking you to pay or share info. Verify independently.
• Watch for red flags – pressure to act fast, guaranteed profits, paying with gift cards, etc. should set off alarm bells.
• Don’t click suspicious links/attachments – check the sender address, hover over links to inspect URLs before clicking.
• Use strong passwords – make them random phrases with symbols, numbers, capital letters. Use a password manager!
• Enable two-factor authentication – adds an extra login step for accounts, like approving logins from your phone.
• Freeze your credit – stops new credit accounts from being opened, which ID thieves want to do.
• Monitor your accounts – routinely check statements and credit reports for any weird activity.
• Shred sensitive docs – run papers with personal info through a shredder before tossing so dumpster divers can’t get them.
• Learn common scams – being aware of the latest tricks like phishing and fake check scams helps avoid being fooled.

I know it takes some extra work, but building good fraud prevention habits can give great peace of mind. You’ve got this!

Dealing with wire fraud is the pits, but you can take back control by reporting it, exploring your legal options, and boosting your defenses. Remember to breathe, be kind to yourself, and ask for help if you need it. We’ll get through this! Wishing you the very best.