Wire Fraud

Wire fraud is real and can happen to anyone. As an example, let’s say you unknowingly accepted fraudulent wire and disbursement instructions that came in your email and transferred the money to criminals. You need to act fast to recover. Accepting wire and disbursement instructions by email is dangerous at best. It’s vital you immediately take these steps to recover from wire fraud.

Act Fast To Recover From Wire Fraud

Immediately contact the bank from which you transferred the money AND the bank that received the funds. Start with the bank where the money was initially wired. Follow these instructions when speaking with the financial institutions.

1. Ask to speak with someone in the fraud prevention group. 
2. Have a fraud alert sent to the receiving bank and demand they put a fraud freeze on the account. 
3. Ask how long the bank will maintain that freeze. 
4. Insist the bank confirms whether your funds are still in that account. If the funds are not in the account, do not get off the phone until you have been assured the bank will alert any other banks that received your fund to place a fraud freeze on those accounts as well. 
5. Get the names and locations of all banks that received your funds. 
6. Keep a log of everyone with whom you have spoken and what time. Make sure you get direct call back numbers from everyone. Repeat these steps for all banks that received your funds.
7. Call the FBI.

File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Have every detail about the transaction handy; you will need it to file the complaint. The IC3 will then issue you a complaint number. This is important because you will be asked for this number when you call your local FBI field office. Ask for a special agent that processes financial or cybercrimes. They will ask for the IC3 complaint number.

Call A Lawyer

Once you have contacted the banks and FBI, it’s time to call a lawyer. An attorney will help you determine if you need a temporary restraining order filed. Such an order would name all the banks that received your funds and prevent them from allowing any further transfer of funds.

File A Police Report

Every bit of information you provided to the FBI, also needs to go to the police. Make sure all the authorities have good contact information for you. These 6 steps, all should happen within four hours of the wire fraud. It is important that you firmly request certain actions be taken quickly and then confirm those things were done.