Abuse Complaint Template

Following is a general template which can help you get started on writing your own abuse complaints for web hosts. Go through the list point by point and see which ones apply to the fake site you're interested in -- you'll quickly put through a professional, comprehensive abuse complaint!

Great resources for investigating can be found in our list of Online search tools. The minimum information needed is the country that the fake bank claims to operate and confirmation that the bank is not listed with the regulatory authorities. Simply edit out the comments that don't apply to the given site and put in sample text/URLs in place of the XXXXXs.

Abuse Complaint Template

ABUSE ABUSE ABUSE
To whom it may concern:

The following domain(s) are hosted on your servers or is within your IP block. Please notify the correct hosts of this fraudulent domain immediately:

URL:
Site Name:

Please understand that after receiving this message, you have been notified of individual(s) conducting illegal activities using your servers. If you fail to take down this website and all associated email addresses, you could be held liable for any damages incurred.

THIS SITE IS FRAUDULENT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

+ Site is a bank, but the bank is not registered with proper authorities. This is a sure sign of a fake bank, and is a guarantee of its illegal nature.

This bank claims to be located in XXXXX. Financial institutions in this country are regulated by XXXXX. This bank does not appear on their list of legitimate banks: http://www.xxx.xxxxx.

+ Site claims to be federally insured by the FDIC, however the bank is clearly not registered. According to "§ 709. False advertising or misuse of names to indicate Federal agency." [18 U.S.C. 709], this is a crime, proving that this website is fraudulent and illegal.

Site claims FDIC insurance here: XXXXX

You may check this bank's insurance status here: http://www2.fdic.gov/structur/search/findoneinst.asp

+ Mobile or satellite phone used for main telephone number.
XXXXX

+ Mobile or satellite phone used for fax number.
XXXXX

+ No telephone number listed on the site.

+ Telephone number does not match claimed location. This business claims to be located in XXXXX but the telephone number resolves to XXXXX

+ No mailing address or physical address is listed on the site. No legitimate business fails to have such basic information on their site. This is an attempt to avoid being checked against a regulator's list for a given country.

+ The mailing address is a post office box or general delivery address: how would a customer visit this business in person?
XXXXX

+ Site claims to be partnered with VeriSign through use of their seal, but doesn't issue a security certificate on the site, or appear to have any actual security. I have reported the trademark abuse to VeriSign.
XXXXX

+ Security certificate for the site is issued under the web host's domain name, not the domain of the site in question. A business of this nature would be able to legitimately file for their own certificate.
The certificate is issued to: XXXXX

+ Security certificate is expired: companies concerned about security would not let a certificate lapse. This certificate expired on: XXXXX

+ Site gathers personal information on insecure form. Legitimate businesses do not gather this type of information without security precautions.
XXXXX

+ Bank has no Internet presence beyond their main site, but makes claims to have many branches.
XXXXX

+ Bank has no Internet presence beyond their main site, but makes claims to have been in business for a while.
XXXXX

+ The domain registration information is recent, though the site claims to have been in business for some time. The site claims to have been in business since XXXXX. The WHOIS registration says: XXXXX

+ The WHOIS registration does not appear to be affiliated with the site, or with a domain registration company. The contact details are likely fake:
XXXXX (check phone numbers)

+ Bank charges unusually high fees to open an account.
XXXXX

+ Site requires an "advance fee" to claim lottery winnings.
XXXXX

+ Site offers money laundering services.
XXXXX

+ Site using the trademarks/names of a legitimate business. I am notifying this business of the misuse.
XXXXX

+ Site is an imposter Bank. Bank claims the name: XXXXXXXXXXXXX which is similar to the legitimate bank: XXXXXXXXXXXX. The real bank may be found here: XXXXXXXXXXXX. This is an indication of fraud. The legitimate bank, which this site copies, has been informed of the deception. Failure to terminate this site may result in the legitimate bank filing suit against you.

- Given address for bank does not match legitimate bank's address.
Fake Site: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Real Site: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

- Given phone number for fake site do not match legitimate bank's phone numbers. This is an indication of fraud.
Fake Site: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Real Site: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

+ The text of crucial portions of this site has been copied from other sources, with minor edits:
XXXXX is a copy of XXXXX

+ Site was referred by a scam artist.

PLEASE TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION RIGHT AWAY:

• Verify the fraudulent nature of this site, as outlined above.

• Shut down all email accounts and web pages associated with this site, and hold a copy for the authorities.

• Redirect all traffic for this domain(s) to the following page, to inform potential visitors of the dangers of advance fee fraud:

http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/

• Check for other sites/domains established by this customer: fake sites tend to be created by a small number of people.

• Contact the police with any credit card and contact information you have on record: fraudulent sites are often funded with stolen credit cards.

REMEMBER: THE PEOPLE BEHIND THESE SITES ARE CRIMINALS, OFTEN MEMBERS OF INTERNATIONAL GANGS. DO NOT REVEAL PERSONAL INFORMATION TO THEM EXCEPT WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

I am also forwarding this information to cp@interpol.int for their investigative purposes. http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/

Help us stamp out 419 scams. Shut down this website!
For more information on 419 scams, please visit:

http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/
http://www.aa419.org

Thank you for your prompt attention. If you feel more information is needed before you can proceed with closing this domain, please feel free to contact me at: XXXXXXX@XXXXXX