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Top 10 Internet Scams

Below are tables summarizing the Top 10 Internet Scams from 2002 to the present, as reported by the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center (formerly known as the Internet Crime Complaint Center).


Top 10 Internet Scams (2007)
Type of Complaint Percentage of
Total Complaints
Auction Fraud 35.7%
Non-delivery 24.9%
Confidence Fraud 6.7%
Credit/Debit Card Fraud 6.3%
Check Fraud 6%
Computer Fraud 5.3%
Identity Theft 2.9%
Financial Institutions Fraud 2.7%
Threat 1.6%
Nigerian Letter Fraud 1.1%

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Top 10 Internet Scams (2006)
Type of Complaint Percentage of
Total Complaints
Auction Fraud 44.9%
Non-delivery 19%
Check Fraud 4.9%
Credit/Debit Card Fraud 4.8%
Computer Fraud 2.8%
Confidence Fraud 2.2%
Financial Institutions Fraud 1.6%
Identity Theft 1.6%
Investment Fraud 1.3%
Child Pornography 1%

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Top 10 Internet Scams (2005)
Type of Complaint Percentage of
Total Complaints
Auction Fraud 62.7%
Non-delivery 15.7%
Credit/Debit Card Fraud 6.8%
Check Fraud 2.6%
Investment Fraud 1.5%
Computer Fraud 1.4%
Confidence Fraud 0.9%
Identity Theft 0.7%
Financial Institutions Fraud 0.5%
Child Pornography 0.4%

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Top 10 Internet Scams (2004)
Type of Complaint Percentage
of Total Complaints		 Average Loss
Auction Fraud 71.2% $200
Non-Delivery (merchandise and payment) 15.8% $264.95
Credit/Debit Card Fraud 5.4% $240
Check Fraud 1.3% $3,600
Investment Fraud 0.6% $625.57
Confidence Fraud 0.4% $1,000
Identity Theft 0.3% $907.30
Computer Fraud 0.2% $391.20
Nigerian Letter Scam 0.2% $3,000
Financial Institutions Fraud 0.1% $968

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Top 10 Internet Scams (2003)
Type of Complaint Percentage of
Total Complaints
Auction Fraud 89%
General Merchandise
(non-delivery or not as advertised)		 5%
Nigerian Money Offers 2%
Information/
Adult Services		 1%
Internet Access Services 1%
Computer Equipment/Software .2%
Work-at-Home Plans .2%
Lotteries .2%
Fake Checks .2%
Advance Fee Loans .1%

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Top 10 Internet Scams (2002)


Type of Complaint Percentage
of Total Complaints		 Average Loss
Auction Fraud 46.1% $320
Non-Delivery (merchandise and payment) 31.3% $176
Credit/Debit Card Fraud 11.6% $120
Investment Fraud 1.5% $570
Business Fraud 1.3% $220
Confidence Fraud 1.1% $1,000
Identity Theft 1% $2,000
Check Fraud 0.5% $1,100
Nigerian Letter Fraud 0.4% $3,864
Communications Fraud 0.1% $174

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About the Consumer Center
Consumer Reports WebWatch compiled this list of organizations, agencies, academic programs, professional groups and Web sites with a stake in credibility, consumer protection, privacy and other related issues on the Web. Descriptions of these sites and programs can be accessed by choosing a topic from the left side menu and were written by the Consumer Reports WebWatch staff. Our listing them here does not represent an endorsement by us of their work, but rather is meant to provide consumers with information resources.
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