How to use the Better Business Bureau scam tracker

Photo via Better Business Bureau.

According to the Better Business Bureau, tax fraud is down, but online scams are increasing.

“Online purchase scams are now the riskiest form of consumer fraud,” the BBB said in a recent report. “In 2017, consumers reported more than 47,000 scams.”

Some types of scams, however, decreased including tax scams and home improvement scams, the report said.

The top ten riskiest scams according to the BBB in 2017 were:

- Online purchase scam (up from #4 in 2016)
- Investment scam (up from #6 in 2016)
- Employment scam (no change)
- Advance fee loan scam (up from #5 in 2016)
- Fake check scam (down from #2 in 2016)
- Home improvement scam (down from #1 in 2016)
- Tech support scam (up from #8 in 2016)
- Travel/vacation scam (new to top 10, #12 in 2016)
- Family/friend emergency scam (no change)
- Government grant scam (new to top 10, #11 in 2016)

To look for scams in your area, you can use the BBB Scam Tracker.

The free interactive online tool offers a heat map showing where scams are being reported. Users can use various filters to search for what scams are happening in their area, track a particular type of scam, or even see how much money has been lost.

MORE: BBB tracker helps consumers avoid being scammed