Report Fraud Federal Trade Commission Toll free hot-line: 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357) Federal Trade Commission online complaint form Internet Fraud Complaint Center  If you suspect that an item posted on My Contractor List.com may be part of a scam or fraud please email us the details to reportfraud@mycontractorlist.com  and be sure to include the URL in your message.   Some valuable information and steps to take on how to avoid Fraud & Scams, other websites and their users have learn please review.    You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules: Deal Locally with folks you can meet in person. Follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of scams. Never wire funds via Western Union, Money Gram or any other wire service, anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer. Fake cashier checks & money orders are common, and banks will cash them and then hold you responsible when the fake is discovered weeks later. My Contractor List.Com is NOT INVOLVED IN ANY TRANSACTION, and does not handle payments, guarantee transactions, provide escrow service, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification" NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal information, ect.) Avoid deals involving shipping or escrow services and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" your transaction.   Recognizing scams Most scams involve one or more of the following: inquiry from someone far away, often in another country Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, shipping, escrow service, or a "guarantee" inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before consummating transaction    Examples of Scams 1. Someone claims that My Contractor List.com will guarantee a transaction, certify a buyer/seller, OR claims that My Contractor List.com will handle or provide protection for a payment. These claims are fraudulent, as My Contractor List.com does not have any role in any transaction. Scammer will/may send an official looking email that appears to come from My Contractor List.com, offering a guarantee, certifying a seller, providing payment services -- all such emails are fakes! 2. distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier's check you receive an email (examples below) offering to buy your item, or rent your apartment, sight unseen. cashier's check is offered for your sale item, as a deposit for an apartment, or for just about anything else of value. value of cashier's check often far exceeds your item - scammer offers to "trust" you, and asks you to wire the balance via money transfer service banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR, including criminal prosecution in some cases! scam often involves a 3rd party (shipping agent, business associate owing buyer money, etc) 3. Someone requests wire service payment via Western Union or MoneyGram: Scam "bait" items include apartments, laptops, plasma TVs, cell phones, tickets - but could be almost anything Often claim that an MTCN or confirmation code is needed before he can withdraw your money - this is FALSE, once you've wired money, it is GONE. Common countries currently include: Nigeria, Romania, United Kingdom, Ukraine, Spain, Italy, Netherlands - but could be anywhere Apartment listing may be local, but landlord/owner is "travelling" or "relocating" and needs you to wire money to them abroad Deal often seems too good to be true, price is too low, rent is below market, etc 4. distant person offers to send you a money order and then have you wire money: this is ALWAYS a scam, in our experience - the cashier's check is FAKE sometimes accompanies an offer of merchandise, sometimes not scammer often asks for your name, address, etc for printing on the fake check deal often seems too good to be true 5. distant seller suggests use of an online escrow service. most online escrow sites are FRAUDULENT, operated by scammers for more info, do a google search on "fake escrow" or "escrow fraud" 6. distant seller asks for a partial payment upfront, after which he will ship goods he says he trusts you with the partial payment he may say he has already shipped the goods deal often sounds too good to be true 7. foreign company offers you a job receiving payments from customers, then wiring funds foreign company may claim it is unable to receive payments from its customers directly you are typically offered a percentage of payments received this kind of "position" may be posted as a job, or offered to you via email .     View My Contractor List.com Terms Of Service See Contractor Classified Ads