Title page 1

Contents 1

Highlights 2

Background 4

Multiple Federal Agencies Engage in Activities to Counter Scams, but No Government-wide Strategy Currently Guides Their Efforts 10

Federal Agencies Compile Scam-Related Complaint Data, but Limitations Exist in Estimating the Extent of Scams and Related Losses 14

GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments 21

Figures 6

Figure 1. Common Examples of the Scam Execution Process 6

Figure 2. Examples of Scam Types 8